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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27517315">blow all the ashes down</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/escapedthesarlacc/pseuds/escapedthesarlacc'>escapedthesarlacc</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>blow all the ashes down series [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Kind of voyeurism, No use of y/n, Pregnancy, Pregnancy sex, Rough Sex, Slow Burn, and make him feel things, boba is an ass man, but there's also, character held hostage/rescued, i'll update the tags as this progresses, idk just read and enjoy! or not., maybe? - Freeform, this is really an opportunity, to crack boba open</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:35:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,208</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27517315</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/escapedthesarlacc/pseuds/escapedthesarlacc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A mechanic working on Tatooine runs into the Galaxy's most feared bounty hunter. When things go wrong, you two get stuck together and are forced to learn how to live, work, and exist side-by-side. But you both soon learn there's maybe something more bubbling underneath?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Boba Fett &amp; You, Boba Fett/Original Female Character(s), Boba Fett/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>blow all the ashes down series [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2152881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>121</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>428</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Boba Fett</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. now that i got a taste</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You heard the jingle of his spurs before you felt his presence behind you, so close that you were practically leaning against his boots as you kneeled in the dirt. “You’re a mechanic,” his cold, filtered voice said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even through his helmet, you heard his familiar twang of an accent. You didn’t need to turn around to know exactly who was standing behind you. A bounty hunter, </span>
  <em>
    <span>the </span>
  </em>
  <span>bounty hunter who wore the feared Mandalorian armor. Who kept his face shielded underneath a rusted helmet with a T-shaped visor. Boba Fett. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sighed and pushed yourself up to a standing position, tossing the tool in your hand to the ground. “I am a mechanic,” you said defiantly, turning to face him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had seen him around Tatooine before, tracking bounties, in and out of local cantinas. His armor made him difficult to miss. But seeing him up close was different. He was taller than you expected him to be, stockier too. “I was told I could find you here,” he said, his voice crackling through his modulator, “I need help with my ship.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that’s usually what people need me for,” you said with a small laugh, wiping your hands on your coveralls, “What’s the problem?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shifted his weight from one foot to another. “It’s something with the communication monitor wiring. I’ll pay you 5,000 credits if you can fix it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had to restrain yourself from dropping your jaw in shock. That was well above the asking price for something as simple as fixing some wiring. With that kind of payment you could buy a few pit droids and get yourself some help; the one-woman job you had running was rewarding, but was starting to take its toll on you. As if he could read your mind, and perhaps he could with that ridiculous helmet of his, he said, “I know that’s above market price. I need the job done fast and I was told you were trustworthy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t leave you much choice, the offer was too good to refuse. A quick job and a heavy payout, you’d be stupid to say no. “Fine, let’s go,” you responded, grabbing the tools you’d need and shoving them in your utility bag.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned quickly on his heel and you followed him, his stride long and quick as you struggled to keep up. You dared not to make small talk with him and instead remained fixated on the back of his scratched, rusted helmet. Several yellow hash marks marked the side and you wondered what they meant. He stood so stiff, his shoulders rolled back against the armor hugging his body, his dirty flight suit covering every inch of bare skin. He had to be human under there, right? Perhaps he was some form of alien, or maybe even droid. How many people had seen his face, touched his skin? You shook the runaway thoughts from your head as his ship came into view. This was ridiculous, he was a bounty hunter, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Boba Fett</span>
  </em>
  <span> no less. It wasn’t his fault it had been months since a man had touched you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where’s the communication monitor?” you asked, looking up at the Slave I. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was like unlike any ship you’ve seen come through this area. Completely flat on one side and heavily armored, you heard it had the ability to fly almost completely undetected. Boba used the device on his wrist to open the ramp to his ship. “It’s below the cockpit,” he said matter-of-factly as he led you into the mass of steel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ship was large and surprisingly crowded. Every inch of space was taken up with storage for weapons, supplies, and tools. The sound of the metal floor clanged when you walked down the short hallway to a small ladder. “It’s just down there,” he said, tilting his visor down as a gesture of direction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re not coming?” You asked, hoisting the bag higher on your shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His glance jerked in the direction of the open ramp. “No.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You shrugged, grasping the metal of the ladder and making your way down to the communication monitor. You quickly discovered the problem at hand, after a bit of fiddling and rewiring, and repaired it in about fifteen minutes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You climbed back up the ladder to find yourself face to face with the boots of Boba Fett. “It’s fixed,” you said proudly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The ladder was slick and your foot slipped as you struggled to get to the ship’s floor, panic slamming into your chest as you scrambled to grab onto anything to save yourself. Boba moved quickly, grabbing your hand and forearm in one swift motion and steading you as you tried to calm your breathing. “Sorry,” you muttered as he pulled you to your feet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He said nothing and instead transferred you the promised payment before leading you to the ramp of his ship. “You’re not much of a conversationalist, are you?” you asked, tentatively peeking up at your temporary employer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Again, he didn’t respond. “Well, thanks for the job Mr. Fett, feel free to stop by next time you’re in the area if you continue to pay half as well,” you said, offering your hand for him to shake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked at your offering before looking at you and you found yourself wishing for the slightest moment that you knew what color the eyes looking back at you were. The warm hand tightly gripping yours reminded you that there was a human behind the durasteel and you felt a foreign feeling of longing in your lower belly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You smiled at him in mock goodbye, pulling your bag higher up on your shoulder, and turned to step down the ramp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop!” a voice called before you had even reached the familiar sands of Tatooine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before you could recognize what was going on, blaster fire rained down from all directions. You were frozen on the spot, terrified to move, unaware of what to do. You heard someone screaming your name, but it sounded distant, like you were hearing it in a dream. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You idiot!” The same voice said, before the wind was knocked out of you and you were thrown back into the Slave I.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You greeted the cool metallic ground ass first, surely to have a bruise already forming. “What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> is going on?” you screamed, turning wildly, trying to catch sight of the man who saved you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba’s cape fluttered in the corner of your eye as you caught him climbing up into the cockpit. Behind you the ramp was rising and you knew you were being faced with a choice, stay here or face certain, unknown death back home.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took one more look at the sands of Tatooine through the final crack of the ramp, and followed the bounty hunter up to the cockpit for more answers.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. destination unknown</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>An update a little sooner than expected.</p><p>I admit, I am a *terrible* self-editor (thanks ADHD!). I sincerely apologize for typos/errors. I'll edit them as I catch them and please point them out!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“What the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span> is going on?!” You repeated as you popped your head into the cockpit, finding Boba in the pilot’s seat pushing buttons and pulling levers as he prepared to launch the ship.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You heard the engines roar to life as the ship hummed to life, the floor vibrating under your feet. “I said, what the fuck is going on?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME!” he bellowed, snapping his faceless helmet to you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A silence finally fell between you, giving Boba time to throw his ship into hyperdrive, and you one last moment for you to bid your home planet goodbye. As the Slave I settled into cruising speed and the stars whizzed past you at an alarming rate, an overwhelming sense of fatigue and loss washed over you. You threw yourself into the spare captain’s seat and sobbed: great, heaving sobs that would have been embarrassing if you had any sense of self in this moment. You knew the odds of seeing your home again anytime soon diminished as fast as the stars and asteroids that were flying past the endless space in front of you. What you didn’t know was why. Who was behind that attack on Tatooine? Were you the target? Was Boba the target? Why did your paths have to cross in the first place?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt his eyes on you behind his visor. “There’s a fresher and my quarters on C Deck,” he said quietly, “Get yourself cleaned up and some rest, you’re going to need it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned back to the controls, checking the pressure and making sure everything was running at a satisfactory level. He worked thoughtlessly, like every button, switch, and level was merely an extension of himself. You knew from stories passed around the local cantinas that he worked alone and seeing him in front of you, it was clear he was a solitary creature. If he hadn’t just spoken to you, you would have thought he had forgotten you were there. “C Deck is below two levels,” he said, not turning away from the control panel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were still too stunned to press him any further about the attack and too tired to do anything other than obey him. You scrambled down the ladder to C Deck and found your way to his private quarters. It felt strange, like you were infringing on his privacy and you weren’t sure why he let you invade this intimate space of his. The room was small and decorated in a similar style to the rest of the ship, metallic and sparse. A small cot was braced against the wall opposite the door, with a pair of boots and clothing stashed underneath it. Another door implied a fresher behind it. You pressed the access button and the door opened, revealing the cool chrome of the sink and shower. Boba’s razor and soap lay on the sink, as well as some stray hair remaining in the basin. A small reminder of his humanity, you held his razor in your hand and wondered what the face that it shaved looked like.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The hair in the sink was dark, your only clue about his appearance. Dark hair made sense, given everything about him was mysterious. Why would he be anything like the blonde, bronzed sun kissed boys of Tatooine? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You turned on the shower, the water warming quickly, before stripping your clothes and stepping under the stream. You couldn’t remember the last time you stood under a warm shower and the sensation was more valuable in this moment than any amount of credits. You savored the moment as the water rushed over your body and soaked your hair and skin. The only soap you could find was Boba’s, something that smelled crisp and woodsy. You suddenly imagined him standing in this very spot, his imaginary body covered in soap and water, cleaning the grime of the day’s bounty off him. You felt the waves of desire lap at your belly which were soon replaced by shame. You were a guest on his ship, not a bounty and as far as you knew, not a prisoner. He saved your life, no matter how little you understood why. It was not your place to fantasize about your faceless...companion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You rinsed off the soap, shut off the water, and groped around for a towel. The soft material looked dingy, but it was clean and did the job. After you dried off, you realized the only clothes you had were the ones you came in; you weren’t looking forward to putting back on the dirty coveralls and underwear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The underwear you could wash, you realized, tossing them in the sink and scrubbing with some hot water and soap. The coveralls, nearly stiff with grime and sand, were a lost cause. You folded them the best you could, set them aside, and hung the underwear up to dry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba’s quarters were still empty, not that you had any reason to expect otherwise. He told you to get some rest in his quarters and his intentions probably weren't to lay naked in his bed. Your wet and dirty clothes weren’t an option either; though Boba coming back to grime in his cot was probably not a sight completely alien to him, you didn’t want to be the one responsible for it. A wave of boldness washed over you. Desperate times called for slight desperate measures, you thought, as you eyed the folded clothes tucked under Boba’s cot. You noticed a blue tunic and tossed it on the bed. The color seemed odd, it didn’t match anything Boba seemed to wear or anything on the ship you’d seen so far. You shrugged as you dropped the towel and tugged the tunic over your head. It was large on you, the billowy sleeves gaping around your wrists and hemline hitting you mid thigh. You buttoned up a few of the buttons on the chest and pulled down the blanket on the cot before climbing in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The small bed was surprisingly comfortable. The tunic was soft, the blanket was warm, and the small mattress underneath your tired body was firm. A deeply comforting feeling settled in your stomach knowing that even the most feared bounty hunter fell asleep just like everyone else at the end of the day. You rolled over on the pillow, </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>pillow, and inhaled the same crisp scent from the shower. The idea of him, unmasked and vulnerable, at the end of the day laying in this very bed shocked your brain like dangerous spice. Though his face was still a mystery, you felt closer to him, like he was laying down a line of defense by letting you inside his private space. You still had no idea what was going on, or why any of this was happening, but you knew there was nowhere in the Galaxy safer than aboard this ship. The very idea of this thought, in a sea of unknown, was enough to lull you into a dreamless sleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Get up.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The familiar crackling voice of his accent through the voice modulator woke you with a start. He was standing about a body’s length away from you, standing as still as always. The reminders of his human-ness from last night were all but forgotten with him physically before you, all robotic and metallic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You pushed yourself up to a seated position, the sleeves of the tunic rolling down your forearms as you moved. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>What</span>
  </em>
  <span> are you wearing?” his voice was short as he stepped slightly closer to you, his visor tilted down in your direction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked down at the tunic dumbfoundedly. “I-I found it,” you said, the sleeves slipping over your hands and making you feel very small.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That does not belong to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>You knew you messed up. You should have worn your coveralls. You should have worn </span><em><span>nothing</span></em><span>. You looked back up at him, boring absolute venom into</span> <span>you. Okay, maybe not nothing.</span></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabbed your wrist, his grip tight and shocking. “Remove it,” he demanded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You locked your gaze to where you assumed his eyes would be. The dark T-visor was cold, your own reflection was your only greeting. His helmet was scarred and dented at parts and had clearly seen a better day, much like the rest of his armor. “I can’t take it off,” you said quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Take. It. Off.” His gloved fingers moved under the cuff, gripping the aged, soft fabric.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t take it off,” you repeated, a little louder this time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers tightened and yanked at the same time you resisted, pulling against the tension. You heard the sound of tearing fabric before you saw what had happened. The cool air on the arm was evidence enough, the piece of tunic sleeve held in his tight fist was the final confirmation. “Boba,” you started, “I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Go,” he growled through gritted teeth, “Just, go…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He wasn’t looking at you, his gaze was fixated on the piece of tunic that he was turning over in his hand. Adrenaline was pumping through your body. You were acutely aware of your nakedness now, made even more apparent by the torn tunic you were wearing. Your clothes were still in the fresher and hopefully dry. Your option was to run to fresher with the tunic, run naked to the fresher without the tunic, or take the towel you discarded the night before with you to the fresher for coverage. You had almost no time to weigh the options and chose to grab the towel and move to the fresher quickly, not caring what Boba thought.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Closing the access door behind you, you looked at the damage in the mirror. The tunic tore right on the seam, it would be a rather easy fix provided he had thread somewhere on this ship. You folded it gently and put it aside, gingerly brushing your fingers against the soft fabric. Stupid, you thought, stupid to take something that wasn’t yours. He was a stranger, for fuck’s sake. Thankfully, your underwear was clean and dry and you put them on, before donning the grimy coveralls again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba was gone by the time you left the fresher and the ship was still, indicating you had landed somewhere. You remade his cot and tucked the tunic under your arm before setting off to find the bounty hunter. It wasn’t a difficult mission and you found him standing at the ramp of the ship, leaning on one of the support beams. “I’m so sorry,” you said, handing him the folded tunic, “I shouldn’t have taken it. I shouldn’t have touched it. I-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop,” he cut you off, putting a gloved hand in front of your face before taking the tunic from you, “It’s fixable.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He ran his thumb over the fabric, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. “Why am I here?” You asked him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked up at you, your stomach lurching with longing to see his eyes, his face, any patch of skin. “I’m not sure.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice was becoming familiar. You noticed the way his accent held onto vowels, like they were a meal he was savoring and wasn’t quite ready to swallow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not exactly sure what happened on Tatooine,” he continued, “I know that’s not the satisfying answer you were hoping for. But I’m not certain it’s safe for you to return.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Your stomach sunk with the realization your fear was confirmed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Until we know what’s happening, it’s best you stay away.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And where do you suggest I go?” Your hands had found their way to your hips and you couldn’t help but feel like a defiant child.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba Fett gestured to the open ramp beside him. “Welcome to Keren. Trading port city on Naboo.”</span>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba walked a considerable distance behind you, giving you space as you ducked around. Having the opportunity to get new clothes and the mere thought of getting out of the coveralls filled you with a joy you didn’t know was possible given your circumstances. You found a small stall offering clothing, chose a few tunics, pants, boots, and other necessary items and placed them down for payment. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before you could open your bag to exchange your credits, Boba stepped forward. The stall owner, who had previously been warm and chatty towards you, turned cold at the sight of the bounty hunter. The pair spoke in a language you didn’t understand for a few moments before Boba grabbed the clothing, shoved it in your arms, and stormed off. “Hey!” you called out, chasing after him, “What was all that about?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They were overcharging you. You’re too trusting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A moment hung between you. You thought how you had willingly accepted an absurdly high-paying job from the most feared bounty hunter in the entire galaxy, how he had supposedly saved your life, and how he had told you it was unsafe for you to return to your home planet, all from his own mouth. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re too trusting.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had no reason to trust the man standing before you. In fact, every instinct was telling you to run in the opposite direction, something you probably should have done when he first asked for your help. But instead you felt drawn to him. Maybe he was right.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Here,” you said, shoving the clothes into your bag, “I saw a cantina down the way. Let’s get something to eat.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "ruby soho" by rancid</p><p>things will get smutty soon, i promise.</p><p>ALSO! I made a tumblr! I'll post some worldbuilding stuff on there, like maps I used to reference the Slave I (which is the most confusing ship imho) </p><p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. you better let somebody love you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>this ended up being a lot softer than i originally anticipated...but...here...you...go! (tosses this and runs away)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You should have known he wouldn’t remove the helmet in public. In hindsight, recommending the cantina probably wasn’t the best idea. The two of you squeezed into a booth, pressed closer together than you’d ever been, and he sat while you ate and drank. The food was delicious and almost too rich; you felt your stomach expanding to an uncomfortable bloat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure you aren’t hungry?” you asked in between mouthfuls, your borderline starvation dulling any sense of propriety.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>I'm fine.” His voice was short and curt. You noticed how he scanned the room every few seconds, how his posture never relaxed, how his hands remained tensed on his thighs. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The wine was thick and strong; you couldn’t even remember the last time you had alcohol. Even though the cantina was off the beaten track, this was one of the best meals you had in recent memory. You could feel the wine taking effect after only a couple sips; your mouth felt looser, your head felt lighter, your body felt...happier. “Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span> take that thing off?” you asked him, gesturing to the helmet with your glass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He tilted his visor to look down at you, your cheeks flushing red from the wine as you sidled closer to him. There was something undeniably attractive about his posture and the way he carried himself. The confidence of knowing how dangerous and terrifying he was. You wondered if he saw the way people shrunk away from him when he walked into a room or how they made great pains to avoid him when walking down the street. He must have known, he</span>
  <em>
    <span> had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to have known, and you wondered if it was the reason why he seemed to walk taller in a crowd. The power he had. </span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course I take it off. Do you think I'm a droid under here?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You were taken aback by how </span>
  <em>
    <span>gentle</span>
  </em>
  <span> he sounded. His hands had moved from the tight grip on his legs, to a relaxed drape on the back of the booth. Had he somehow had some of the wine too? "I wouldn't know if you were a droid. I haven't seen any part of you but what you choose to present to the world," you said, pushing yourself closer still.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Your legs were flush against each other, so close you could almost feel his body heat radiating through his flight suit. "I assure you, I'm human," he practically purred and you were convinced you felt the ghost of his finger trailing your upper arm.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You finished the remainder of the wine in one decidedly un-ladylike gulp. "Prove it."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stalled; the air in the cantina suddenly static and heavy. It was just the wine, you thought, this stupid, strong Naboo wine swimming in your head. It was just the fact you haven't spent time alone with any man in light-years. It had nothing to do with the fact Boba Fett had all his attention focused on you in this stuffy, crowded room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He removed his arms from the back of the booth and your body groaned from the lack of presence you didn't realize was there. Placing his forearms on the table, he took the fingertips of his right hand to his left glove and pulled, revealing a very real, very tan human hand. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was real. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He presented his own hand to you, allowing you to take it in your own. You barely knew him long enough to vividly imagine the finer details of his body, but his hands were softer than you would have expected a grizzled bounty hunter's to be. They could tell they were strong as you ran your hand over his, the tendons tensing and relaxing under your touch. Here he was, utter and true proof of him, so much more than beard trimmings in a sink. His hand remained limp in your lap and your fingertips ghosted up and over his thick fingers, lingering at the delicate skin where his fingers met. "You</span>
  <em>
    <span> are</span>
  </em>
  <span> human," you whispered, looking back up at him but still holding on.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Your heart lurched in your chest and something stirred deep in your belly. Damn that emotionless mask. Damn his amour. Damn his profession. You were half convinced someone had slipped something into your drink, your body wanted him so badly. "I am human," he repeated, his fingers closing around yours. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A moment, one delicious beautiful moment, surrounded you, where it felt like the world stopped, where bounties didn't exist, where your old life wasn't a mysterious  danger to return to, where you could stay in this dirty cantina booth exactly like this forever. And then the sound of glass shattering and the familiar roar of a bar fight erupting broke everything and sent you rocketing back to reality. The cantina was just a cantina, you were just a wayward refugee, and the bounty hunter in front of you wasn't your savior, but a trained assassin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm full," you said, pushing your food away, "Are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span> you aren't hungry?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll eat," he replied, sheathing his hand back in his glove, "Don't worry about me."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He tossed payment on the table and you left, Boba always a distance behind. Even though the sun was setting and darkness was creeping through the alleys and streets of Keren, you remembered the path back to Slave I. Besides, even if you didn't, there was always a built-in navigation behind you. He lowered the ramp once you were close enough, and you boarded quickly, patiently waiting for him near the cargo hold.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The brisk walk in the cooling evening air was enough to sober you up. You were annoyed in yourself for the disappointment you felt but knew it was probably for the best. Anything you felt for the bounty hunter clad in armor and steel wasn't likely returned, you thought. He worked alone. He lived alone. He existed alone. Women, if he permitted himself to have them, were a fleeting pleasure in his life. And that's all you expected to be to him, less even. Until you remembered how warm his hand felt closing around yours, how he allowed you to see even a small part of his naked skin, the faint feeling of his fingertips on your arm. "You need to eat, don't you?" You questioned, finally breaking the silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shut and locked the entrance ramp behind him. "I </span>
  <em>
    <span>need</span>
  </em>
  <span> to lock the ship down for the night, but yes, I could eat."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"I can... leave you be for a while."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was heading to the cockpit, his hand on the ladder, before he stopped and turned. "I assume you don't like eating in front of other people," you said, "Considering you refused to eat at the cantina."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You noticed his fingers relax on the metal rungs of the ladder before dropping his hand by his side. The sound of his leather glove hitting his flight suit made a satisfying little sound, like an exhale at the end of a long day. "I'm not about to remove my helmet in public for the mere pleasure of food. The risk isn't worth it. I have plenty of food here."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A pang of sadness pricked at you. The idea of him constantly alone, not knowing the pleasure of dining with friends, laughing unencumbered by heavy armor, was a morose thought. You were never one to have legions of friends on Tatooine, but you never felt trapped in the exoskeleton you presented to the world. What was it like living in his head? “Well, then I’ll give you some space,” you said, giving him a small smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hand returned to the ladder and he turned to make the climb. “Boba?” you asked, “Where do you want me to stay? For now, I mean.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His position on the ladder made him significantly higher than you. He twisted to face you, an amazing amount of flexibility considering the armor. His lack of response indicated it was something he hadn’t yet thought about. “I can just-,” you started, looking around as if a cot would magically appear for you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No,” Boba said, “Just...put your things away in my quarters. Give me a half hour or so and join me in the cockpit, if you wish. We’ll figure it out.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He turned quickly, climbing the remainder of the ladder and disappearing out of view. You shrugged and turned to access C Deck, climbing down to Boba’s quarters. You took the new clothing out of your bag, setting aside a light, long sleeved tunic and pants and folded the rest, tucking them away in a corner. You ducked into the fresher, quickly shedding the old coveralls and changing into the new clothes, feeling better than you had in days.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On his bed you noticed the blue tunic, the torn sleeve sitting delicately on top. You dug through your purchases from the afternoon, finding the item in need: a small sewing set. The bed creaked as you threw your weight on it, tossing the tunic inside out and lining up the seams. It wasn’t a perfect tear, but it was close. You found thread that was a close enough match, threaded a needle, and got to work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You were a pretty decent sewer, there were seamstresses in your village who you knew to go to if you had a big job, but for minor rips and tears you learned to depend on yourself. Living alone for so long, having your own skills and not being reliant on anyone was invaluable. Your stitches were small, tight, and slightly uneven, but did the job they were supposed to. You tied off the thread, cutting it with your teeth and tucking the extra thread and needle safely back in your bag before admiring your work.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was clearly done by hand, you thought as you ran your finger over the bumpy stitches, but it was strong and once the tunic was flipped right-side-out, the damage wasn’t even visible. You dragged your thumb across the fabric, the buttons on the chest bumping at the friction. This was a sentimental piece to him. It was difficult to imagine a bounty hunter having any emotional side, but his reaction upon seeing you in this tunic was something you had only seen in a handful of people, and nothing you were at the receiving hand of.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>More than enough time should have passed, you thought, gathering the tunic and heading to the cockpit. "I'm coming up," you announced as you climbed the ladder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You heard the shuffling of his feet, fabric, and metal as you pressed the access door. Boba's back was to you, silhouetted against the lights of Naboo, his distinct helmet striking a form that somehow no longer struck fear in your gut. "I hope I have you enough time," you said, tucking the tunic behind your back. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"You did."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The electric feeling from the cantina was back. You were convinced the sound of your heartbeat was enough to drown out the sounds of the cockpit. Could his helmet detect how much you were sweating, or how stupidly nervous his mere presence made you? You didn't want to think about it too much. "Here," you said, stepping forward, "I have something for you."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He turned to face you, his visor tilted so you were certain his eyes were looking into yours. You pressed the tunic into his hands without breaking your eye contact, your pulse sounding like a drum in your ears. You could feel his gloved hands close around yours for the briefest moment and you felt shockwaves rocketing to your brain. He took the tunic and examined the tear. It was as if somehow the sound was sucked out of the room and was sent into the vacuum of space. Your vision was laser-focused on his every moment, the slightest jerk of his helmet, how the fingertips of his gloves traced the seam you stitched, how he ever-so-slightly shifted his body weight from one hip to the other. “Why did you do this?” his tone wasn’t angry, it wasn’t upset, it just </span>
  <em>
    <span>was.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know what it’s like to have few possessions that mean anything. I should have asked you for permission before snooping around. I’m your guest here and I...have a tendency to forget my place.” You felt hot shame rising in your body, blushing the tips of your ears.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is...incredibly kind,” he said softly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even through the modulator, his voice didn’t have the sharpness you were used to. It was almost like he was breathing for the first time. The thudding in your ears was reduced to a dull roar. You were suddenly aware of every single one of your limbs: how awkward your arms hung at your side, how your feet relaxed slightly pigeon-toed when you stood before him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It happened so quickly, you didn’t have time to process it. A sudden movement, the soft metallic sound of rushing air, and suddenly the feeling of warm lips on yours. Your eyes snapped open for the briefest of moments before his fingers twisted tight in your hair, causing you to melt deeper into his embrace. His other hand slipped behind your lower back, holding you close to him, as you wrapped your arms around the cool metal of his armored shoulders. He was so broad, so strong, and you wanted him so badly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mouth was experienced, knowing just how to tilt his head, using his lips to part yours before his tongue entered. You moaned, breaking the kiss just long enough for him to trace the column of your neck with his affection. “Boba,” you gasped, placing your hands on either side of his face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You were silent as he gave you a minute to stare. You didn’t know where to look first. His jaw was squared with a strong chin anchoring his face. His skin was tanned and scarred with dark, curly hair on the shorter side. And his eyes, they were so dark you couldn’t tell if that was the color or his pupils were just so dilated it was making them appear deeper than they were. He wasn’t extraordinarily beautiful, nor was he ugly. He was rugged, he was scarred, he was handsome. He was here.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice like the most beautiful song you’d ever heard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There’s nothing to apologize for,” you said, running your thumbs across his sculpted cheekbones, “Except for maybe hiding this under all that steel.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. “I still don’t know if I can fully trust you,” he said, your heart sinking slightly at his words, “But I don’t think most people would do what you did.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He gently removed your hands from his face and turned back to the tunic, which he had somehow placed on his chair. “This belonged to my father. It’s all I have left of him, besides </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” he gestured to the ship around you, “Though I’ve changed this ship enough, I’m not sure he would recognize it. Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You beamed at his acknowledgement, the weight of the importance of that piece of fabric weighing on your shoulders. “Please, get your rest in my quarters again,” he said softly, “I’ll be up here if you need anything.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You wanted to kiss him again. You wanted to feel his warmth against you, the weight that reminded you he was human. But you knew better than to push your luck. You turned to head back to C Deck, hearing the sound of his helmet locking back on as distance separated you. The sound of your name stopped you just as you reached the door.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he said again, his familiar silhouette giving you comfort as you pressed the access button and disappeared from his view.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "desperado" by the eagles</p>
<p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. what my hands and my body done</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When you woke up, the ship was silent. Boba’s bed was just as comfortable and warm on the second night you slept in it, though you weren’t sure if that was the memory of his mouth on yours that made everything feel lighter. You changed quickly, slipping on your work boots before  heading out into the ship and looking for Boba. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Your footsteps echoed in the corridor, no sign of life anywhere. You climbed up to the cockpit, finding it empty as well. “Boba?” you called out, a slight feeling of panic beginning to rise in your chest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was no answer. You darted down the ladder and to the entrance ramp, finding it sealed and locked. You were trapped. Adrenaline pumped through your body as you cursed yourself for letting your guard down around a trained assassin. Your panic took the best of you as you uselessly attempted to open the ramp, throwing your body weight at it, shoving your fingers in the seal in an attempt to find weakness.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>You climbed back up to the cockpit, looking for any other chances of escape, when you realized, what would you do? You were on a planet you’d never stepped foot on before, lightyears away from anyone who knew you. You knew in your heart it was a lost cause without Boba, his ship was designed to be impenetrable. You sunk in his chair, defeated. You had no choice but to wait for whatever was to come for you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>----</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of the ramp opening jolted you awake. He was back. Your head snapped to attention and you scrambled down the ladder to demand answers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba stood at the ramp, his arms holding a man who was easily twice his size. He moved as if he didn’t see you there, pushing the man forward like he was nothing, and hurling him into a chamber. He quickly pulled a level and a terrible hissing sound filled the ship as the man became frozen in what looked like stone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba turned and faced you, your mouth agape in shock for what you just witnessed. Boba grabbed a workbench, throwing himself in a slumped seated position on it. You didn’t notice until he started tearing off his armor, the dark red streak staining the side of pants leg. “Boba,” you said, dropping to your knees in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t,” he said, reaching up and pulling his helmet off, “Don’t touch it. Just...get a medpack.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His voice sounded like coarse sand as he hissed with pain. You watched as his flight suit became darker with his blood, unable to move from the spot in front of him. Your fingers itched to touch him, apply pressure, do anything but leave his side. “Medpack!” he growled, shaking you back to the issue at hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You scanned the loading bay, spotting a medpack hanging on the wall. You grabbed it and brought it to him, placing it on the workbench next to him. “Cauterizer,” he groaned, his teeth gritted together.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I need you to get the cauterizer,” he spoke low and painfully, like each word was a struggle.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A cauterizer. You searched the seemingly endless bag before your fingers gripped the cool metal. Boba stared at you, his hands pressed against his bleeding thigh. “Please, no rush,” he spat, his chest heaving between words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never used one before,” terror gripped your throat as your thumb flickered over the switch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t think, just do it.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled open the tear on his flight suit, fully exposing his wound. From right below his hipbone to halfway down his thigh was deep cut gushing blood with each exhale. You braced your arm against his upper body and turned on the cauterizer, bringing it to his leg. He growled with pain as you sealed his wound, leaving a jagged scar in its place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You looked up at him, sweat dripping from his temples, and let out a breath you weren’t aware you were holding. “Wasn’t so bad, was it?” he panted, his fingers relaxing their grip on the bench.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What happened? I woke up and--”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He groaned as he leaned over to rummage through the medpack, pulling out a small bottle of bacta spray. “Spray this,” he said, handing it to me.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You sprayed the wound, before looking in the medkit for a cloth to clean up the dried blood that was left behind. “I apologize for not telling you,” he said, extending his bad leg to give you more access, “I admit I didn’t come to Naboo to show you the sights, I had a job to do.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You cleaned his leg, taking great care around the raw skin that was already healing. His leg was massive, almost entirely muscle, and the fresh scar wasn’t the only mark that cut into his tanned skin. “I understand,” you said, unable to take your eyes off the bare skin in front of you, “I just didn’t know where you were and I thought-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba’s finger cupped your chin, bringing your gaze to meet his. His brow was furrowed and his eyes flashed with concern. Those big brown eyes boring holes into your soul were unlike anything you could have imagined and caused your breath to hitch in your throat. “You’re safe on this ship,” he said firmly, his lips forming a perfect pout without even trying, “You’re safe with me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Ache erupted across your entire body. You could have never imagined the great Boba Fett to look this...helpless. He sat sprawled on the workbench, his bloodied and torn flight suit practically dangling off his leg. His breathing was beginning to return to normal, but still slightly heaving from the adrenaline. "But the job is over now," you said, jerking your thumb in the direction of the carbonite chamber,  "What was he wanted for anyway?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba shrugged, pushing himself up to a more comfortable sitting position. "I don't ask too many questions. I do the job, I get paid, I move on. Help me up."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He extended his hand to you, and you braced yourself as Boba steadied himself on you to a standing position. “I need to set our coordinates to drop this scum off,” he said, heading to the cockpit ladder, “Then I need to clean myself up. Have you flown a ship before?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Your mouth felt as dry as the dune sea. You could fix almost anything, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>flying</span>
  </em>
  <span> the massive hunks of metal you worked on most days? Absolutely not. You shook your head. He turned away from you, his expression impossible to read, and climbed up the ladder. You followed shortly behind as you entered the cockpit with him. “It doesn’t take much,” he said, “The system will take care of most of it. You’ll only have to do something if something goes wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He must have seen the panic grip your face and gently smiled as he started pressing the endless sea of buttons. “Which won’t likely happen,” he continued, “I know this ship better than I know anything. If anything goes wrong, I’ll know before you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ship lurched into hyperspace, the whirl of colors and stars never failing to stun and impress you. “We have a few hours,” he said, scanning the controls, “I’ll be right back.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And he was gone. You sat alone in his chair, the vast expanse of space laid out in front of you. The controls and levels felt as foreign to you as Aurebesh, but the way Boba expertly knew exactly what to press, pull, and flip as if the ship was merely an extension of himself. The strong planes of his back, the way the tendons in his forearms moved, he was like a work of art. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Why were you here? How did every event in your life lead to this moment: sitting in the pilot’s seat of the Slave I while a bounty hunter moved through the decks below, cleaning and tending to his wounds. There was a bounty frozen in carbonite in the cargo hold for Kriff’s sake! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You searched the cockpit, looking for anything to entertain yourself but turned up nothing. “What does he do up here for hours alone?,” you mumbled out loud to the endless void. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You tried to imagine the bounty hunter reading, doing a word puzzle, or anything to occupy his time, but nothing fit your mental picture of the stoic and calm tin can man. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After nearly an hour passed, you began to worry that Boba had yet to return. The ship was quiet, no sense of alarm from the ship or anywhere else, but something felt off. He should have been back by now. You frowned, drumming your fingers on the cockpit chair. Knocking on his door and just checking in should be fine, right?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You quickly scurried down the ladder, knocking on his door upon arriving. No answer.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Boba," you called out hesitantly as you entered his quarters, "Boba, is everything okay?"</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You heard your name from behind the fresher door, spoken so softly, almost as if the voice responsible for it was in pain. Adrenaline pulsed through your body once again. Boba, you thought, he was hurt. He must have fallen. Images of the bounty hunter slumped against the wall, his bad leg twisted underneath him, fresh blood pouring out of his leg, flashed through your mind. You slammed the access button without a second thought, practically hurling your body weight against the door before it even had time to open. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You weren't greeted with the sight of Boba Fett in pain or seemingly in need of any of your help. You saw him standing in the shower, using one muscled arm to steady himself. The other hand disappeared between his legs, wrapped around himself. Your eyes widened in shock, embarrassment completely flooding your system. "Stars," you gasped, falling against the wall behind you in your attempt to leave. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You heard your name again as you left the fresher, this time yelled more urgently, directed at you. Your heart pounded in your chest, your face burning scarlet. Stupid! You cursed yourself, pacing the floor of Boba’s quarters, knowing there was nowhere on this ship to hide from him, Completely stupid! </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You fell onto the small cot, the weight of what you just witnessed falling on your shoulders as your legs hit the mattress. A line that should have never been crossed had been, by </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You felt the coils of desire tighten in your belly as you remembered the moment you shared in the catina, Boba’s tender kiss in the cockpit, and now...this. You would be a fool to admit you never thought about him in that way, but you chalked up those fleeting moments of fantasy to the fact that he was the first man in eons to show you the smallest portion of kindness. Seeing with your own eyes, those feelings reciprocated in him made your breath hitch. Impossible, you thought, he’s lonely, he’s bored. You were probably the first woman he’s spent an extended time with in a long time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The fresher door opening broke your thoughts. Boba stood in the doorway, dressed in loose pants and a sleeveless tunic, his expression blank and entirely unreadable. “I’m sorry,” you blurted out, “I thought you were hurt, I-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You talk too much,” Boba said, his voice cracking the silence like a rock to glass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Your body felt rigid as you sat on the bed, your spine stiff as you rolled your shoulders back and gripped the blanket with your fingers. He stepped closer to you, the air of the small space of his quarters feeling like that night at the cantina, only this time there was no wine to cloud your thoughts. There was only him and you and the knowledge of what you saw. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba was always taller than you, but with you seated and him standing, the difference in height was more powerful. He stood so close to you that your knees were nearly touching, the fabric of your pants ghosting against his as if they were teasing him. You were certain you stopped breathing when he reached out and cupped your chin against the crook of his finger. There was no air left in the room. There was absolutely nothing but him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Out of his flight suit he appeared massive, all tanned skin and muscle, with scars leaving pathmarks to other parts of his body. It was the first time you were able to get a proper look at him and you drank him in, like he was the sweetest cantina wine. Scars marked his face, his arms, and the top of his chest, dipping below his collar to sights unseen. It did nothing but make him more handsome and remind you who he was. This wasn’t a moisture farmer from Tatooine. This was Boba Fett. There wasn’t a soul in the galaxy who didn’t know his name and you were sitting on his bed after finding him masturbating to your name.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His finger slowly traced your jawline, his touch feeling like fire as he moved. How could someone with hands so deadly be so gentle? Your mind slipped to how he handled the bounty this afternoon, imagining how he’d fire a blaster without a second thought, and now those same hands traced the angles of your face with the care of a lover. His thumb moved across your neck, the light touch erupting a gasp from the back of your throat, the first noise either of you made in what felt like centuries. You could feel the wetness between your legs as he barely touched you, you mind racing with what he could possibly be thinking, what he was thinking when you saw him in the shower. A wave of boldness washed over you. “I don’t think you meant for me to see that,” you said, your voice shakier than you wanted it to be.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His lips curled into a smirk, not quite a smile, but close. You noticed how his eyes crinkled for the briefest of moments, and you wondered what his laugh sounded like. “But you did,” he said simply, his hand moving to the back of your head, twisting his fingers in your hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It felt like every nerve ending in your body was being sent into hyperspace. You were hurtling towards an unknown destination at warp speed, you knew this was dangerous, but all you could think of was him. “Did you like what you saw?” he asked, tugging your hair gently so he could look into your eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes were so dark, his pupils blown out in lust it made his eyes look black. You knew you were panting, that your cheeks must be absolutely flushed but you didn’t care. “I didn’t get a close enough look,” you said with a grin.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes widened in surprise at your mouth before he bent down and kissed you. You melted into him, clawing at his shoulders to pull him on top of you. The cot’s metal springs groaned as the combined weight of both you collapsed on top of it. His mouth was everywhere, igniting a wildfire in your belly as he kissed every inch of your face, neck, and chest that was exposed to him. Using his thigh to part your legs, his hardness was unmistakable. You groaned at the friction of his stiff member between your legs, the fabric of your pants growing wet with desire. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even through two pairs of pants you could tell he was bigger than anyone you’d been with before. The mere thought of him inside of you, filling you up, splitting you open was almost enough to push you over the edge. Your fingers scrambled at the fabric of his shirt, awkwardly tugging it over his head and tossing it to the floor. “Eager,” he said with a grin, gripping your face between his fingers and thumb before kissing you again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I want you,” you struggled to get out between gasps.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Tell me how badly,” he growled, making quick work of tugging off your boots and belt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s all I can think about,” you whimpered, “I need you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You need me to </span>
  <em>
    <span>what</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” he said as he pulled off your tunic, the cool air pebbling your nipples immediately. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His mouth was on you just as quick, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin and your brain started to short circuit. “Fuck me, Boba!” you screamed, your nails digging crescents into his scarred back, “I need you to fuck me!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His kiss was deep and quick before he yanked off your pants and underwear in one fluid motion, tossing them carelessly behind him. He discarded his own pants shortly after and you noticed he wasn’t wearing underwear. You groaned as he gripped the base of his cock, which was more perfect than you imagined: thick and long and uncut, the head dark with want for you. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He tugged himself as he spread your legs, displaying yourself to him completely. You were completely soaked as he ran his thumb up your slit, circling your clit gently. “Fuck,” you gasped, pressing yourself closer to his hand.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been so long since someone had touched you, but your body had never been touched by someone like him. Someone so confident and assured, jealousy didn’t even have time to enter your mind because you were so blinded with pleasure. By the time he pressed a finger inside, it felt like the world was ending. Kriff, that’s just his </span>
  <em>
    <span>finger?!</span>
  </em>
  <span> “If you could see yourself,” his voice was low and husky, dripping with desire.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You needed him, now. You had never been more sure of anything in your life. You wrapped your legs around his waist, trapping his hand inside you, and grinded against him, desperate for more. He grabbed your waist, pulling you off him and flipped you over. “You’ll get what you want,” he grunted, kneeing your legs apart and squeezing the soft flesh of your ass.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You stretched your upper body across the cot, driving your ass higher in the air for him, feeling completely under his charm. You would do anything he said if it meant he would be inside you soon. He sheathed himself quickly, the feeling of fullness rocketing you forward on the bed. You scrambled at the blankets, your fingers unable to grab anything that wasn’t him. His body was draped over you, his hands finding yours as he pistoned his hips with such force it felt like you were going to break.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” he grunted as he thrusted in and out of you, “In the cantina last night….fuck...you have no idea what you do to me.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You groaned, arching your back at his words and allowing him to thrust deeper into you. “Fuck, f-fuck,” he cursed, “You feel even better than I dreamed. Your pussy is like a vice.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hands were back on your hips, gripping so tight it was like he was trying to keep you from floating away. You felt him shift on the cot behind you, getting up on his knees so he could be more comfortable. His cock was thick, the burn of the constant friction uncomfortable but not painful. And he just kept </span>
  <em>
    <span>going.</span>
  </em>
  <span> You felt your heart slamming against your ribcage as his cock hit your cervix; he was massive. No wonder he walked so tall, you would too if you held such power in your pants. A familiar feeling bubbled in your belly, and you began fucking your hips back to meet his thrusts to satisfy the need. “I’m-I-I’m gonna,” you moaned, your face pressed into the mattress that still smelled like him, your hair stuck to your forehead with your combined sweat.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Do it,” he slurred, “Cum on my cock.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You whined as he grabbed your arms, pinning them behind you as he hammered into you, faster than he ever had before. The sounds of his cock pounding into you made the filthiest noise you heard in your life as he just kept going, his balls slapping against you like a metronome. Then the band broke, and you were falling through time and space, every muscle in your body tightening and relaxing as pure pleasure pulsed through your being. “Where...do...you want me…” he strained.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Inside me, I want you inside me,” you moaned, your legs spreading wider in your post-orgasm haze. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit!” he cursed, his hips stuttering.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He let go of your arms and hips, holding himself up on either side of your body. The warmth of him spilling into you brought you back to him, and you relaxed under his body weight, panting and sweaty. “Kriff,” he heaved, pushing himself off you and laying on the narrow cot, “That was-”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You reached out and touched his fingers. He responded by taking your hand in his and bringing your fingers to his lips. The galaxy could continue to fear him but in this moment, this delicious, perfect moment, Boba Fett was all yours.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "work song" by hozier</p>
<p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. did you never want to be alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>this is more like a half chapter than a full (it’s VERY short), but i had to get it out. it's also a different...style than previous chapters.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>You were fast asleep, your back rising and falling with your slow and even breaths. Boba watched, the cool light from the emergency runners illuminating the room just so and flickering across your face.  </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It had been months since he had been with anyone, and the local women and Twi'leks he picked up in cantinas were hardly anything to write home about. Those encounters were usually quick, never making it back to the Slave I, but done inside dimly lit bedrooms or even darkened alleyways. Women were never a necessity for him; they were there, of course, but he wasn't under their spell. He knew it was a conquest to bed a bounty hunter in Mandalorian armor and it wasn't something he wanted to give to just anyone who wanted the badge of honor. Though when he was near to bursting with desire to be enveloped in the embrace of a woman, he wasn't picky. Sometimes primal needs came before pride. When his eyes were shut and his hips were moving, the woman underneath him didn't matter. The world slipped away with each orgasm, just enough to forget how much he hated himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But here he was now, watching a mechanic from Tatooine sleep soundly in his bed, your hair strewn across his pillow, with a longing in his chest unlike anything he had ever felt in his life since…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He shook the intrusive thought away. He had spent decades hardening his exterior which in turn made him cold and emotionless. Or so people thought. There were still nights, though the days stretched longer in between as he had gotten older, where Boba sat in his pilot's chair, stared out into the vast expanse of space and cried. Cried for the man he never got to become because the only thing he had was torn away from him. The tears never lasted long, enough for Boba to furiously wipe his cheeks dry, and then repress the feeling until they were brought to the surface again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He turned back to your sleeping form and pulled the blanket over your shoulders. Compassion was not in his nature, or he believed it to be something forbidden to him. He was the faceless mercenary hired to kidnap or kill, not shower his bounties in comfort.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Sometimes, during nights when he had trouble falling asleep, Boba had memories of his father. The years made things hazy, memories like faces and voices were only familiar because of the image that greeted him in the mirror every morning. But the one thing time never dulled was how his father made him feel. Jango never lied to him, Boba knew what he was; he was a clone just like the rest. But Jango also let Boba know, through words and actions, that he was different too. Boba was his son, his pride and joy and though Jango was no longer here, he never forgot the love he felt from his father. The feeling of being wanted, being protected.  Boba knew he shared his father's face, voice, mannerisms; that he was a perfect replica in every way possible, but he never doubted for one moment that Jango was anything but his true father. It made him wonder, would he one day have the opportunity to be the same? Fatherhood, children. It wasn't something he paid much attention to in recent years. There was never a woman who piqued his interest long enough. That felt different now.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This was the longest he had spent with someone he wasn't being paid to track in years. You were the first woman to see him laid bare and maskless in recent memory. Why did it feel different? What made this different? The trip to Tatooine was a wasted trip he thought at the time, losing his bounty once he had troubles with the Slave I. He remembered the anger felt rising in him, furious at his own stupidity for letting them get away. How he was seeing red as he stormed into the cantina, demanding the name of a reputable mechanic to fix his ship. How the barkeeper stuttered and stumbled in fear before giving the bounty hunter the name of the best mechanic in town, a woman. Boba was too blinded by his own fury to know then his life was about to change, but maybe he could see it now. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His life was lonely, he could admit that to himself. Alone, with his own thoughts, when he didn't need his durasteel to protect him, he wondered what it would be like to share life with another person. A long time ago, he swore that would never be something he longed for.  But now, as he watched you sleep, something stirred in him. It wasn’t just the memories of how your skin tasted, the salty sweetness his body ached for, or the vice grip you held around him as he felt an ecstasy he hadn’t known in months, it was something more.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And it terrified him.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "jet pack blues" by fall out boy</p>
<p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. right into the shadow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am so sorry it’s been so long between updates, life kind of got in the way. Thank you all so much for reading/reblogging/the kind and encouraging comments. It really means so much and keeps me focused on this little story. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Boba had been gone for weeks now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn't expect things to change after you slept together, though a small part of you was hoping for more nights ending tangled up in each other. You knew the bounty hunter wasn't going to dump his work and return to you, taking you to more parts of the galaxy you had yet to see. He had work to do. What you didn't think he would do was leave you at a small inn in a port town on a planet you've already forgotten the name of with enough credits to last you a year.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your brain ached as you tried to read his body language when he left, but he was as stiff as ever. Any sense of tenderness and longing he had shown you in the days before was gone, replaced by the faceless man in Mandalorian armor you met on the dunes of Tatooine. "I'll be back for you," he said, his voice low through the modulator. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room was small, but comfortable. A bed, a real bed, sat tucked away in the corner, with fluffy pillows and warm blankets stacked on top. The door to the fresher was cracked open, the light casting a warm glow onto the worn carpeted floor beneath your feet. It was a space where you would surely be able to find a decent night's sleep for the first time in ages, you just weren't ready to say goodbye to him. "Boba," you started to say, looking up, but he was already gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Anger replaced hurt quickly as you stated at the empty spot where he once stood. You never asked for a dissertation of his feelings, but anticipated slightly more than this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Filling your days came surprisingly easy; the town was quiet but the people were kind and you even found some work through word of mouth. A few droids needing repair, nothing too major, but it was enough to keep your mind off of Boba and what he could possibly be up to. Night was a different story. When the sun was gone and the silence crept in, there was nothing but your own thoughts crowding the spaces of your mind. Boba occupied every inch of free real estate there: what he was doing, if he was safe, if he was thinking about you like the night you found him in the fresher. The memories of his scarred, muscled body on top of yours was seared into your mind. The way his thick, rough hands touched your body so gently made you ache with wanton desire. There had been nights when your fingers ghosted beneath the waistband of your pants, your eyes closed as you imagined Boba's touch before the feeling of shame washed over you. It was wasted time missing him when all you were to him was a warm place to land. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The local cantina was where you usually took your meals. It was a lively place, not seedy or dark. You had been in town long enough that the bartenders knew you not only by face and name, but also by your food and drink order. You settled into your usual place at the bar, your food being placed in front of you shortly after. "How long do you think you'll be staying?" The bartender, a pretty Twi'lek with purple lekkus asked. She wasn’t the usual bartender, but you had seen her around before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You shrugged, cutting into the meat and taking a bite. "Not really sure. I'm...waiting for someone."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> "Who?" The bartender perked up.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You knew this was a casual conversation in her line of work. For all you knew she was just as lonely as you were and was trying to start a conversation by being interested in your life. But instead it made you suspicious. Did she somehow see you arrive with Boba a few weeks ago? Did she know you were alone and pretty much defenseless now? "Just a friend," you said, deciding the less information you gave, the better. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Is this friend the reason you've been eating alone in my bar for the past few weeks?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her smile seemed genuine and your soul ached for the connection of another person. "It's...just a friend," you said, "He's working."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, he couldn't have picked a safer spot," her green eyes sparkled when she spoke and her voice was almost musical, "It's quiet here. Good place to lay low. He has good taste. I'm Numa"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She offered her hand to you as you gave her your name. Her grip was warm and firm, your first touch of another in weeks.  "Where are you from?" She asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> "The outer rim."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re in the outer rim, darling,” she said with her welcoming smile.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were reminded that you really had no idea where in the universe you were. Boba must have told you when you landed, but your mind had been whirring with the possibilities of what he could possibly be thinking that there was no way you were going to remember. “Do you see many bounty hunters around here?” you asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her smile was immediately wiped from her face. “Our town is very safe, I assure you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t mean to insult her, you were only looking for any information about where Boba could possibly be. "Of course, and I feel nothing but safe being here! I was just wondering if you've ever seen any?" You tried to keep your tone light and hospitable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your poor attempt to keep conversation light and perhaps make a friend seemed to have failed. A shadow darkened Numa's pretty face as she turned to pour a drink for a nearby customer.  "A few make their rounds from time to time," she said, "One more than others. Why? Do you have a puck on your head? Will I find a blaster to my back when I step out of that door tonight?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No! You don't have to worry about me, I just... don't know much about this place."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Numa's face relaxed a bit. "Oh, you've heard the stories then."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her lips curled into a salacious grin as she leaned across the bar to get closer to you, as if she wanted to be sure no one overheard what she was about to say. "Stories?" you mused, returning her gesture. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The stories about the bounty hunter in green Mandalorian armor."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt your skin tighten and your face grow hot at the realization of who she was referring to. Your mind raced at a thousand different possibilities of what she could be referring to, but paired with Numa’s impish smile you weren’t sure your rising jealousy would be tempered with any of them. “I don't think I know what you’re referring to,” you said, trying to keep your expression as neutral as possible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He shows up every so often, we’re the only cantina in town so he usually stops in here. The magnetism he has when he comes into this room, you can tell every woman wants him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your tongue was heavy in your mouth as you swallowed. You knew too well what she meant; the way Boba stood when he entered a room, how he shifted his weight from one hip to another, how his fingers flexed over his blaster, the sound of his spurs jangling in a silent room. The power he held over people, yourself included, was as Numa said, magnetic. “He doesn’t seem to notice the attention though,” Numa continued, “Or he enjoys it enough to play it cool. It’s a bit of a competition with some of the local single women to see who can get him. He rarely goes home with anyone.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Rarely.</span>
  </em>
  <span> You stared at your cup so intensely you were sure the glass would burst under your glare. Images of Boba sitting in this very cantina floated into your mind: flirting with other women the same way he flirted with you, his gentle touches on your arm, how his leg felt pressed against yours when you sat in that booth on Naboo. You pictured him stumbling, tipsy on cheap wine with a faceless beauty, unable to keep their hands off each other as they made their way back to the Slave I, some other woman’s hands tracing his scarred face, kissing his full lips, hearing the ethereal sounds he made as he entered her. You bit the inside of your cheek to maintain your composure, tasting the metallic tang of your own blood. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba was never yours. He never implied he was, he never said or did anything to make you think you were special. He was nothing more than a stranger, a mercenary in a war machine, who hired you to repair his ship and ended up with a stowaway. A stowaway he ended up fucking. That doesn’t usually happen, right? People don’t usually fantasize about stowaways in the fresher, pretending their hand is a mouth? The words that tumbled out of his mouth that night, they couldn’t have just been the heat of the moment?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked at Numa, knowing what you wanted to ask but afraid of her answer. The words tumbled out of your mouth before you could stop them. “Have you ever gone home with him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t respond, but her smirk and sway of her hips as she turned to help another customer was all the answer you needed. You threw your payment down with such force that some of the coins bounced on the floor before turning on your heel and racing out the door. It was late, and the streets were mostly deserted. You felt the heaviness in your chest that was the precursor to the kind of deep, heaving sobs that would draw attention and sucked in deep lungfuls of air to keep them at bay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as you reached your room at the inn, you would be safe, you told yourself. You would let yourself cry over something as stupid as a man who, in all likelihood, completely abandoned you on this godforsaken planet. You were lucky, not only did you have the credits he left you, but the ones you earned while working these past few weeks. It wasn’t a fortune, but it was enough to start. Tatooine had nothing left for you, your family was gone years ago, this was an opportunity to see what the rest of the galaxy had to offer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your hand grasped the doorknob of your room and your heart felt a little lighter with the hope of a future without Boba Fett in it. If only he wasn’t standing in your bedroom.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your eyes narrowed as your vision settled on the bounty hunter standing awkwardly in the center of the room, his helmet tucked under his arm. His presence made the tiny room feel comically small and you hated the way your lower belly lurched upon seeing him for the first time in weeks. He looked tired, with dark circles hanging under his eyes, and a fresh cut on his cheek. His flight suit was filthy, mud caking his legs, but there was no visible damage on his armor. “Hello,” you said, your voice rough and distant.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He smiled, his eyes still tired, but continued to stand awkwardly in front of you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good to see you,” you continued, crossing him to kick off your boots next to the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I had no idea it would take so long.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You froze. Hearing his voice for the first time in weeks cut through your emotional armor like a beskar blade. You had almost forgotten how his tongue rolled around his words, how he made even the most mundane sentences sound musical, how his gravely baritone ignited a desire deep inside you. “I’ve been keeping busy,” you responded once you steadied yourself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad. It’s a nice quiet town. I knew you’d like it. Plenty of things to keep you busy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You spun around to face him, you face inches away from his. You could smell him, the musk of his body odor combined with dirt and sand from unknown planets. “I’m sure you’ve kept yourself plenty busy here,” you spat, unable to stop yourself, pushing past him and storming into the fresher.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You heard the sound of metal hitting the floor and footsteps approaching the other side of the door. Boba called your name once. You turned on the faucet, attempting to drown him out. You should have known a flimsy door of a small town inn was no match for a bounty hunter; he had it open in seconds. “What is going on?” he demanded, his massive armorless frame taking up the entire doorway.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why did you dump me here?” your voice sounded thin and desperate, almost like it wasn’t connected to you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba looked confused, his furrowed brow deepening the scar across his forehead. “Because it’s safe. I knew you’d be fine here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You flipped the lid of the toilet down and sat down, arms crossed, completely defiant. You knew you were acting like a child, but you couldn’t help it. He was the last person you were expecting to see tonight, especially after learning he used this town as his own personal port. “You appear to be mad about something,” he started, his body beginning to turn.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I found out,” the words flowed out of you, “I know you sleep with the women in this town, that it’s a game to them. That it’s probably a game to you too. And I know you don’t owe me anything and I’m probably stupid for even being upset but...I didn’t expect to see you right now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba looked at you, his eyebrow cocked and head tilted, for a nanosecond before he laughed. An actual laugh, not a smirk, or a chuckle, or a huff of air, but a laugh that felt like it shook the walls of your room. His laugh was like his voice, deep and gravely with a musical edge to it. It made his eyes crinkle and opened his mouth wide enough to see his teeth. How devastatingly beautiful he was. “Girlie,” he said, resting his hands on his hips and making himself appear even bigger, “I’m afraid you have no idea what you’re talking about.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Embarrassment bubbled up from your stomach and heated your face. It wouldn’t be the first time you completely misjudged a situation. Still, the image of Boba with anyone else churned something deep inside you. “There’s a Twi’lek at the cantina…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure there is,” he said matter-of-factly, “Are there men on Tatooine?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your mind flashed back to memories of innocent childhood kisses, to exploratory teenage hands, to secret trysts after hours, to lovers and heartbreaks to felt before. His expression knew your answer. “See?” he said, “The universe does not exist for two people to exist in the vacuum of space.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His fingers came to your cheek, the first time you felt his touch in weeks. “I didn’t think you’d come back,” you said softly, looking into his dark eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll always come back, one way or another, I will be back for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His words caught somewhere in your chest, wishing you could somehow save this moment to preserve forever. You wanted to ask him why, what made you different? A bounty hunter shouldn’t be tied to anyone or anything and here he was, admitting to a mechanic from Tatooine he would always return. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My work will always take me away,” he said, his thumb resting under your chin, “But there’s something that keeps me coming back to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You silenced him with a kiss, which he immediately returned, his strong arms pulling you closer to him. The grime and smell that clung to him didn’t bother you, instead it reminded you that he was here after weeks of aching in his absence. Your hands slid down the strong planes of his chest, unzipping his flight suit and pulling it off his shoulders. A few new cuts and scars greeted you upon exposing his tanned skin. You gingerly kissed his scars, the soft moans escaping the back of his throat was your reward. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You kissed a trail further south, tugging the flight suit off his hips and leaving it to pool around his ankles until you were kneeling in front of his straining underwear. Your mouth watered at the thought of him inside your mouth, what he could taste like, the feeling of him coming undone under your touch. You palmed his cock, feeling him harden under the fabric. “No,” he said suddenly, tugging you up to a standing position.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You whined as he dropped you on the bed, your back arching in search of any friction. “This isn’t about me,” he growled, making quick work of pulling off your pants and underwear.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sight of his massive shoulders between your spread legs was nearly enough to make you come right there. The first touch of his finger spreading you already wet folds was like heaven. “You’re soaked already,” his voice rumbles, sounding like the engine of a ship preparing to take off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulls himself closer, trapping his head between your thighs as his tongue swiped up your slit. You groaned, throwing your head back on the bed while your hands found their way to his hair. His strong arms held your hips down as his tongue wrote poetry on your pussy, alternating between sucking on your clit and using his tongue to explore your entrance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You spread your legs wider, attempting to push him deeper into you, the pleasure you felt making you absolutely feral. “Oh shit--Boba,” you moaned, bucking your hips against the grit of his stubble.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His mouth was hot, his tongue using broad strokes and pointed licks as if he already knew the map of your body and how exactly to please you. You craned your neck to watch him, his eyes closed as he was completely lost in the taste of you, one arm locked across your hips, the other between his own thighs, slowly pumping his own cock. He removed his mouth for a fraction of a second to palm your wetness before returning his hand to himself and his mouth to you. The thought of him jerking himself with your own slick as he grew harder tightened the band of ecstasy in your lower belly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He quickly shoved two fingers inside you and pumped and he licked you to an orgasm, the world completely shattering around you as any feelings of jealousy you harbored against Numa completely subsided. He was with you tonight, on his knees in the bedroom of a tiny inn, his face soaked with your own juices.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was panting, leaning over you and resting his weight on one elbow. “Stars,” you gasped, only realizing as the world came back to you he had his fingers between your folds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You get soaked before you come,” he said, staring at the space between your legs, “It’s gorgeous.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Come here,” you said with a smile, pulling him on top of you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He kneeled between your legs, pulling your thighs atop his hips. “I’m not quite done with you yet,” he rumbled, hovering over you and slipping a hand under your hips in one fluid motion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He entered you quickly, your relaxed body accepting his thickness with more ease than last time. Laying underneath him felt lightyears more intimate than how he fucked you before. You hooked your leg across his lower back, pushing him deeper inside, until you felt the weight of his balls against you. He wasn’t fucking you with the force and passion he did when he was behind you. He was barely moving at all, instead he was staring at you as he slowly dragged his hips back and forth. “Are you going to fuck me or stare at me, bounty hunter?” you said, reaching up to grab his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A small smile flickered across his lips as he anchored himself and increased his speed. “You want me to fuck you?” he grunted, one hand gripping your thigh like a vice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y-yes,” you moaned in response, pulling his shoulders closer, your sweaty bodies sticking to each other as he thrusted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re so good to me,” he panted. It wasn’t really directed to you, his head was resting on your shoulder as he tried to watch himself disappearing into you, “So good, girlie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reached to play with your pussy again, his rough fingertips circling your clit as he locked eyes with you. “Look at me when you come,” he said, more of a demand than a request.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was almost too much, his thick cock filling you up as his fingers worked magic. But his eyes. They couldn’t be the eyes of the most feared man in the galaxy, a man who women played games with to attempt to get in their beds; this was just Boba. He might not be completely yours, but there was a part of him that belonged to you more than anyone else. That was enough for now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You called out his name, gripping the back of his neck as he brought you to your second orgasm of the night. He followed shortly behind, his hips stilling against yours, the warm feeling of his cum coating your walls. He collapsed on top of you, unable to even roll off to the side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your eyes felt heavy with exhaustion, the promise of sleep creeping in. You were too exhausted to attempt to push him off and get to the fresher, choosing instead to embrace his weight. He was soft after sex, his nose nuzzling against your neck as your played with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’ll always be back for you, mesh'la, you have to believe it,” he whispered, so quiet you weren’t sure if you were meant to hear it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mesh’la. You didn’t know what it meant, but from his mouth it felt like a crown.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "chinatown" by bleachers</p><p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. all so safe and sound</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you SO much for your patience as I worked on this! This week has been a complete nightmare with work and I've had almost zero time for myself. I plan on this being only two more chapters + an epilogue, so we are coming to something here!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"I have to leave again."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba's voice was rough and gravely with sleep. You were both still in bed, the blankets pulled over your shoulders to keep off the morning chill. At some point, you had fallen asleep in his arms, his lower body curled up tightly against yours, his body heat keeping you warm. But now he was propped up on one elbow, looking down at you, his thick fingers tracing shapes on your skin. His touch felt like blaster fire and you burned for him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As the soft dawn light started to come through the window, you were able to look at him. It almost felt like you were seeing him for the first time. His body was thick, tanned skin pulled over firm muscle. A dusting of dark hair shadowed the area between his pectorals, sweeping a line down his firm belly and towards his cock.  His absence these past few weeks was so deeply felt that seeing him, touching him, tasting him felt like a spice dream. The realization that he would have to leave again, and so soon, left an ache in your chest. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t go,” you said, sidling closer to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The way he looked at you, his knotted brow finally relaxing and mouth softening, like you were the finest masterpiece or the most beautiful song, made your mouth dry. It didn’t slip past you that this was the first time he was here when you woke up, still naked and vulnerable next to you. His hands found the curves of your body, pulling you against his chest. With your arms pinned between him and your body, your fingers pressed against the firmness of his chest, finding comfort in his presence. “I have to,” he whispered softly into your hair, the rasp of his voice shooting volts down your spine.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“When?” you asked, craning your neck to look up at him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You pried your arm free and reached up to grasp his shoulder, your fingers ghosting up towards his neck. He never flinched under your touch, even as you ghosted the scars that marked his body. His dark eyes stayed locked on you, his hands splayed out across your back as he held you close. "This afternoon," he responded, his voice sounding almost disappointed, "There's a job I need to finish."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You hesitantly pressed a kiss to his lips, his mouth greedily returning the gesture. You took his moment of pliancy and gently pushed him on his back, hooking one leg over his waist and straddling him. Your hips groaned at the stretch after a night of sleep. Boba's presence was a comfort; the mass of his body warm and thick beneath you reminded you that for now, he was right here. Your fingernails ran down his chest, earning a hiss of pleasure through his gritted teeth. Between your legs, you felt his cock twitch and harden and you moved your hips in slow circles to grant you both the friction you sought. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It didn't take long for his eyes to become glossy with lust and for his hips to rut against you. His grip on you became tighter and he thrust you back onto his length, sheathing himself entirely inside you in one quick motion. The feeling of his hardness stretching your walls was becoming familiar to you, something you welcomed when he was here and craved when he was gone. The intimacy of morning, waking up to his warm breath on your neck, knowing he fell asleep at your side, was enough to make you ready for him. The wetness between your legs only grew as he lazily thrust in and out of you, a pace you had not yet experienced with him. You could feel every inch of him as he dragged the tip of his cock to your entrance before pushing back inside you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You wanted to remember him forever in this moment. One day when this would end, because it surely would have to, you wanted him to live in your mind the way all hazy memories do. His lower lip was caught beneath his teeth, his brow tight with concentration as he watched the space between your thighs where he disappeared in you. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he grunted while he thrust into you, his thick length satisfying the fire brewing in your belly. "Faster," you moaned, your nails clawing at his chest in search for a place to land, "Faster, please."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hands reached back to grab the soft flesh of your ass, using the leverage to help pull you up and down him. "You want me to fuck you?" he growled, his hips moving faster, the sounds of your bodies meeting filling the room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You nodded, unable to speak as he began to pound into you. Your back arched as he hit the spot deep inside you your fingers never seemed to reach. You reached back to grab his knees for leverage, pushing your breasts towards him. The shift in positions seemed to change something in him. The moan that escaped his throat was unlike anything you heard from him before. He liked this and you wanted to please him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You wondered if he ever let women ride him before, if he ever let anyone else be in control, or if he spent his entire life, including in the bedroom, hidden behind the protection of durasteel. The passing thought that you could be the first person to see him like his, eyes black with desire, completely strung out at the sight of you grinding down on his cock, made you want him even more. You wanted to be the only person to see him like this, to be the only one to tear his world apart seam by seam. You braced your feet on either side of his hips, feeling him sink deeper inside as you spread your knees.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Your name on his lips was like a prayer. You wanted to hear him say it again, and again; hearing it a thousand times wouldn’t satisfy you. “Mesh’la,” he moaned, throwing his head back onto his pillow as he gripped your ass, “How are you so good?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You pulled your hips up, so the tip of his cock was just at your entrance, your thighs shaking as you held the position just long enough to hear the softest whine coming from the back of the bounty hunter’s throat. “Move,” he pleaded, dragging his nails against your soft skin, “Please move.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You grinned, leaning down to give him a quick kiss before slamming your hips down to meet him. The string of expletives that tumbled out of his mouth would make someone in Coruscant underworld blush. And it was all because of you. You collapsed on his chest and he wrapped his arms around you before flipping you on your back and savagely pistoning himself into you. With anyone else, it would have been uncomfortable if not borderline painful, but with Boba it was bliss. The feeling of his thick member filling you completely as you came undone underneath him was what you were going to cling to when he was gone. “Touch me,” you cried, as he reached down to circle your clit with expert precision. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You felt your body teetering on a cliff, so close to being flung out in space. “I’m...gonna...close,” he grunted, his hips still maintaining that impossible speed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come inside me, Boba. I want to feel you when you’re gone,” you said, grabbing the back of his neck and looking him in the eye.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His groan was strangled and his hips stuttered slightly. “Are you picturing it?” you asked, his eyes locked on you, “Are you picturing me all alone, stuffed with your cum?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded, sweat beading down his forehead and dripping on to you. “Did you think about me when we were apart?” you pressed, confidence washing over you as your orgasm creeped closer, “Did you touch your cock and pretend it was me?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing is ever as good as you,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His voice was like warm honey dripping over you. The idea that you existed in Boba Fett’s mind even in your absence was too much. You squeezed your eyes shut and pictured him, alone in the cockpit of Slave I, his codpiece tossed carelessly to the floor, his cock freed from his flight suit, as he stroked himself. Although you still felt the arrangement between you was flimsy, another part clung to and craved every ounce of praise he gave you. It was enough to push you over the edge and you fell.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba was there too, his hips stalling against yours and releasing shortly after your orgasm. You had never come together before and you both were left a tangle of limbs, covered in a sheen of sweat. You held him close as he caught his breath, committing every second to memory, trying to forget that in a few hours he would be gone again.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba’s heavy weight pressing on top of you was welcomed and you groaned with displeasure when he finally pulled out. “I need to clean up,” he said, hovering over you before pushing off the bed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looked back at you, the muscles of his strong back moving under his skin, “Aren’t you coming?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>---</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You would never get tired of seeing Boba’s naked body, but seeing him underneath a stream of water was a sight to behold. Without the limitations of the size of his ship’s fresher, you were both able to fit under the stream of warm water. The way the water streamed down his broad, scarred back, dipping above his firm buttocks, before waterfalling to the ground made you want him to take you all over again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neither of you had said much to the other, knowing you would have to part again so soon you were nervous you would say something you would regret. Instead, you watched him as he planted his feet, closed his eyes, and turned his face to the spray. How could someone so fearsome be so lovely? </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he took the soap, something you bought at a market stall that smelled crisp and woodsy and reminded you of him, your mind ran away with you. You saw every morning like this, Boba's warm body next to you, Boba in the shower, Boba at breakfast, Boba with children. You thought about how he would look as he aged, his waist thickening but still strong, his hair thinning, his face lined but still handsome. It was a dangerous thought and the more time you spent with him the stronger the daydreams got. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He handed you the soap and you scrubbed yourself, his dark eyes fixated on you. "You're quiet," he said, breaking the tension. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You shrugged, rising the suds off under the water. "I'm still tired," you respond, tossing him an excuse. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His large hand reached out to cup your chin, forcing you to look him in the eye, "I have an excellent read on people."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You huffed out a laugh, covering his hand with your own and freeing yourself from his grasp. "You?" You asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Occupational hazard," he replied, a smile tugging the corners of his lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rush of water filled the silence and you watched as the water circled the drain over and over before slipping out of sight. The water pooled slightly at your feet; there must be some sort of clog. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey,"  his voice was softer as he stepped closer to you, "I don't like leaving you either."</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You turned and shut off the water. The chill was immediate and your arms found themselves wrapped tightly around your body in an attempt to keep warm. “I know I’m being difficult,” you said, teeth chattering in the cold, “I can’t help it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba leaned out of the shower and wrapped you up in a large towel, rubbing your arms to keep you warm. “You’re not being difficult,” his voice warmed you more than any towel could, “I...care deeply for you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hands stopped moving and instead gripped your forearms, as if he was worried you would disappear between his fingers. “I have been alone for a long time,” he started, his voice soft, “I know how to take care of myself and not rely on others. After my father died, I had to. But now...Kriff, now I…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His voice faded and he turned away, his hands still latched to you as he composed himself, “If you got hurt I don’t know how I could manage.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You had taken a terrible fall when you were young; you were playing on a retaining wall in town, trying to race from one end to the other. Your mother told you to slow down and be cautious, but you refused to listen. A loose stone caused you to lose your footing and you fell to the ground, the rough and hot sand waiting to catch your fall. The pain of impact was sudden and blinding, a sharp sensation throughout your entire body. You lay prone on the ground for a moment, stunned, before your parents realized what happened and came to your aid. You had never felt anything like that since. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Until now. Boba’s confession struck you harder than any fall. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not delicate,” you said, “I can fend for myself.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled, the lines of his face deepening, “That’s what I’m worried about.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want you to leave,” you admitted, reaching up to stroke his stubbled cheek.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He reached up to lace his fingers in yours, bringing your hand to lips. The gesture was so gentle, so sweet, you felt completely protected in his presence. “I don’t want to leave you behind anymore.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>----</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why can’t I use that one?” you asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba gripped his carbine rifle closer to his chest before pushing the blaster closer to you. “You’re not ready for this one yet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Boba had found a deserted place outside of town to teach you how to properly use a blaster. It was quiet and gave you enough privacy that Boba felt comfortable removing his helmet. “If you’re going to stay with me, you have to know how to defend yourself,” he said, his softness from the shower replaced with his usual gruff exterior.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He stood behind you, the coolness of his armor pressing against your warm body. Your memories flooded back to this morning, how his hips moved against yours, how his body felt and smelled. “Don’t get distracted, mesh’la,” he whispered in your ear, grinding his codpiece against you for good measure.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He positioned your body, manipulating your arm to hold the blaster and lining it up with your eyesight. “Trigger discipline,” he said, pulling your finger off the small piece of metal, “Keep it along the barrel unless you need to use it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You nodded, licking your lips and you shut one eye to narrow in your focus. “And don’t shut your eyes!” he added, “You need both for depth perception.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He nudged your stance slightly wider by toeing your boot with his. “Just make sure you don’t lock your knees,” he said, his fingertips ghosting your shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This somehow felt more intimate than any time you were stripped bare in front of each other. His breath on your neck, your fingers wrapped around his blaster, his hand gripping your hip as he followed your line of sight, it was like a tango. “Aim for that tree,” he murmured, “Relax, take a breath, keep your eyes open, and fire.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His hand never left you, he stayed pressed to your back as you followed his instructions. The trigger moved with far less force than you expected, the laser from the blaster rocking across the open field and striking a branch on the upper part of the intended target. “Not bad,” he said, “For the first time.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>You had more time to improve, trying a dozen more shots before Boba called it a day. “A good start,” he said, taking the blaster from you and holstering it in his hip, “We’ll try again tomorrow. Now, let’s just get off this planet.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After weeks apart, reentering Slave I was like a sigh of relief. The cool metallic floor and walls were the same as you remembered. You followed him up into the cockpit, a feeling of deep comfort settling over you.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What does mesh’la mean?” you asked, as he pulled the ship into hyperspace.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His body was relaxed and comfortable, the shield he presented to the outside world outside this ship left behind. Here, he could be himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The whirl of colors as the stars blurred into nothing never failed to transfix you. You never felt safer, in the cockpit of one of the most heavily armored ships in the galaxy, at the side of a man made of grit and steel.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It means beautiful,” he said.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Your heart lurched in your chest, but you just blamed it on hyperspace.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "barrel of a gun" by guster</p>
<p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. my emotions feel like explosions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>we are getting close to the end here! one more full chapter and then an epilogue. i cannot thank you all enought for reading, the kudos, commenting; i am continually blown away by all of you and words cannot express my thanks. :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You’re getting better.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba’s praise went straight to your chest, filling you with a feeling of floating on air. You lowered the blaster and holstered it to your hip before turning to face him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was smiling, not the usual slightly curled lip you were used to seeing when you did something that amused him, but a real smile. It was a sight so foreign to you that it took you aback. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He looked like he was glowing as the sun warmed his face, his helmet tucked under his arm, his stance wide. You saw how the skin around his eyes wrinkled and the lines around his mouth deepened. Boba Fett was smiling. And it was all because of you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have a good teacher,” you said, grinning back at him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stepped closer to you, closing a distance that felt like a parsec, before grabbing your waist and pulling you into his body. His warmth and the way he fit against you was like coming home again and again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had been traveling with Boba for months now and as time passed you thought of Tatooine less and less. At Boba’s side you saw more of the galaxy than you ever dreamed, met people you would have never met otherwise, saw sights that took your breath away. Although you tried to hide it from him, you were certain Boba knew how awestruck you were by the life you saw with him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had begun to trust you more, asking you to look after his ship when he was away on hunts. You saw how he became more comfortable having the presence of another after so many years alone, how his shoulders no longer tensed when you entered the room, how he looked over at you when he was flying, his deep and even breath as he slept at your side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He never bothered finding somewhere else for you to sleep. You had found comfort in knowing that the nights when he was home he would be at your side, his arm wrapped protectively around your waist. When he was away, his absence was most noted at night when you reached for him and found yourself in an empty bed. Memories of your time together kept you company as you remembered the way his hands felt on your bare skin, his hot and needy mouth anywhere he could reach, the satisfying stretch of his cock as he entered you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If you thought it was easy to run away with the idea of him before, the comfort of knowing him better as time passed made those feelings stronger. You even felt it now, seeing his true smile in the sunlight, with him looking at you like you hung the stars. His lips slotted against yours, his kiss rough as he bit your lip. “Boba,” you moaned, gripping his shoulders.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He laughed into the kiss, the exhale from his nose tickling your lip. “You are insatiable,” he said, breaking the kiss and running his thumb over your cheek. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You wondered if this was what love felt like. The longing in your chest, missing him when he was just beyond your reach. You looked at couples differently now, seeing their flirty touches in cantinas you stopped in, the stolen glances they thought no one was watching. You wondered if people saw you and Boba in the same way: how he stood protectively a few paces behind you when you walked, his intimidating presence keeping any would-be admirers at bay. There was one time when a local tried to flirt with you, his body language and musical voice making clear his intentions. Boba stepped close behind you, the cool metal of his armor pressing against your arm, his fingers gripping his rifle, the slight turn of his head was all that was needed to send him away. “I wasn’t interested in him,” you told him later as you got ready for bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t deserve even a moment of fantasy,” Boba responded, tugging his undershirt off his head and tossing it aside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even in the emergency lights of his quarters in Slave I, he was beautiful. You could map the scars that sketched across his tanned skin by memory now, having felt the patterns on his back as he thrust into you time and time again. The times he fucked you lazily, usually early in the morning or sometimes in the middle of the night when you  woke him up by peppering a line of kisses across his back, was your favorite. The feeling of his weight above you, your legs hooked around his back, his arms on either side of your head made you feel like he was consuming you. His movements were like a metronome, even and comforting, your tired body taking him in over and over again. All you could see, hear, and smell was Boba. You never wanted it to end.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You couldn’t help but wonder what made you different; what was it about you that made the galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter stop in his tracks? What if he wasn’t on Tatooine when his ship broke down or the cantina owner suggested a different name to him? There were a million reasons your paths shouldn’t have crossed and yet the odds still swung in your favor.  "Why me?" You asked him one night after he fucked you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You could feel his cum leaking out of you as you laid on his chest, his arm wrapped around your back, holding you to him. He was tired, his eyes already shut, but his hand rubbing lazy circles on your back proved he was still awake. "What do you mean?" He responded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Why do you keep me around?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He opened his eyes, his dark brows knotted on his perfect face. "Are you looking for a certain answer?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"No, I just want to know."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He exhaled, the sweet scent of his breath making you feel drunk on him. "You weren't afraid."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You thought of all the times in your life you felt fearful or hesitant to do something. The feeling of cotton in your throat, the shake of your fingers, your heart beating wildly in your chest as everything in your being told you to stop in your tracks. It was a feeling you never felt with Boba; with him you felt brave for the first time in your life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been afraid before, but I don’t feel afraid with you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His body shifted, slotting himself against you so he could look you in the eye. His rough fingers found their way to his cheek as he drank you in, his eyes even darker in the dim light. “Why?” it was his turn to question you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You shrugged, his fingers so warm and comforting on your face, “You don’t scare me.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I scare most people,” his voice was ragged and tinged with exhaustion.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not most people,” you replied, pushing him over and straddling his waist. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt his cock twitch under you as you rolled your hips against him, your core already wet with arousal. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and biting his lip as you dragged your folds against his hardening arousal. You leaned down to take his mouth in yours, his tongue immediately asking for entrance. His mouth was hot and needy, his fingers gripping your neck and the back of your head as he consumed you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You broke away from him, not missing his slight whine when you pushed off and began to kiss a line from his lips, down his chest, and to his groin. You nuzzled your nose in the crease of his skin, the scent of him clouding all sense of reason. You needed him to know how much he meant to you, how important he was in this universe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You wrapped your hand around his cock, gripping the base before lowering your mouth over the head. The salty tang of his precum went straight to your pussy as you resisted the urge to touch yourself. You knew he was thick, it was impossible to ignore or forget how it felt when he slipped inside of you, but the stretch to your mouth was a different story. Covering your teeth with your lips, you took him in as far as you could, feeling him in the back of your throat.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You gulped air through your nostrils until all there was was Boba around and inside you. Your cheeks hollowed as you sucked him into your mouth, making some of the most lewd noises you had ever heard. You were positively choking on him, your drool covering his cock and dripping down your hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was completely undone under you. His hands were tangled in your hair, his nails scratching your scalp. His hips twitched under you touch, thrusting up to seek more of the delicious heat of your mouth. The noises he made, high breathy moans, your name like a prayer on his lips, was the most beautiful sound you ever heard. You took him in deeper, swallowing him as he tried to delay his impending release. “I’m...going t-to,” his voice was strangled, unable to finish his sentence.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You used your hand to fist him, your spit providing the lubrication needed as you gave your jaw a break. “Do you want to come in my mouth?” you panted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You couldn’t imagine what you looked like, your face spent with arousal, sweat dotting your hairline, drool at the corners of your mouth, but he was looking at you like you were the only thing his eyes had ever laid on. "I want...to do something else," he planted, reaching to pull you to his mouth for a sloppy kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He moaned as he tasted himself on your tongue, slowly learning you back until he was on top of you. "Do you trust me?" He asked, searching your eyes for confirmation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yes," you said, your chest heaving in anticipation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He positioned himself between your legs, tugging at his cock. He was rock hard, the tip flushed dark and weeping precum. He was teetering so close to his orgasm, you could sense it in every minor movement, every shaking breath. His hand on your thigh was reassuring in its warmth and pressure.  He pressed the tip of his cock inside you. You moaned at the welcomed stretch, but soon realized he wasn't moving. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His free hand found your clit, using his thumb to put your slick to the nub as he rubbed delicious circles around your center. He began to jerk himself off, the sound of his hand pumping your slick down his shaft made you even wetter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes were trained on you, watching you squirm under his touch, the feeling of his cock resting at your entrance driving you absolutely mad with desire. "Touch yourself."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was not a suggestion, he was demanding. You obeyed, your fingers twisting in his as you stroked your slick folds. He gripped your thigh, hard enough to leave marks that would remain as a reminder of this night. You flexed your cunt around the tip of his cock, earning a strangled whimper from the back of his throat. "You are too good to me," he growled, the frantic pace of his strokes increasing still.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt your own orgasm building, your fingers finding the rhythm as you watched him. The tension in the room was heavy and thick, your eyes locked on each other. The image of the head of his heavy cock resting in your entrance and he pumped himself was most lewd thing you’d seen. There was nowhere else in the universe you would prefer to be than with him in this moment. You shut your eyes, the moment almost too much to bear as you felt him twitch inside you. “Close?” he asked, his fingernails digging deeper into the soft flesh of your thigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You nodded, unable to speak. “I’m going to come inside you,” he said, his accent drowning your senses, “I’m going to pump you full with my cum.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You cried out, wanting him to sink deep inside you until you felt him in your guts. He didn’t move. “I think about you every moment when we are apart. I think about your perfect pussy gripping my cock. Still so tight no matter how many times I fuck you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your fingers were coated in your own slickness, the smell of your combined arousal starting to permeate the room. “Boba, please,” you whined, “I need you to fuck me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You want my cock inside you? You want me to fuck this tight pussy?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You scrambled to grab any part of him to hold onto, to anchor yourself to him before you floated away. He was still gripping his cock, stroking the length with the same fervor he was before. “Tell me what you want, princess,” he said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I want your cock inside me, I need it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’ll get it, little one,” he grunted, pushing himself into you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The feeling of his cock stretching your walls was too much, sending you spiraling into your orgasm after only a few thrusts. He laughed, the rumbling sound coming from his chest was all the praise you needed. “That’s all you needed?” he teased, “My cock inside you to keep you satisfied.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your walls pulsed around him, dragging him closer to his release. “I think I’ll stay here forever, keep you full of my cum, until you’re heavy with seed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were already overstimulated but you felt yourself twitch at his words. “I’ll give you warriors,” you said.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was gone. His hips stuttered against you as he came, feeling the familiar warmth coating you. The weight of your combined words covered both of you like a blanket. Children. You knew enough about Mandalorian culture to know how important family was to them. You knew Boba’s relationship with his father was the most cherished thing in his life. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He collapsed on top of you, your ragged breaths heaving through the silence. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve thought of it,” he finally said, his voice soft.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shifted on top of you, his strong arms flexed and holding up his body weight. “I’ve thought of you, and children, and this,” he continued, “You don’t have to say anything. I just want you to know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your words were true. You would give him children, you would be his wife, you would do anything to stay by his side. And now you knew he felt the same.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Where are we going?” You asked as you sat next to him in the cockpit, his attention focused on entering coordinates.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“New job,” he responded, distracted by the duty at hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But where?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were pressing him when he was distracted, one of his biggest peeves. He liked to focus on one thing at time, especially when he was doing a pre-flight check, and you liked to get under skin, just enough to work him up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You saw the coordinates he entered, the map focusing on an area in the outer rim. It couldn’t be…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tatooine?” you spat in disbelief, “Are you insane?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He turned to face you, his face stoic. “Tatooine.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The way his accent danced across the name of your home planet would have been enough to make your heart pound in any other circumstance, but not today. Instead, any feelings of arousal were replaced with the fear building in your chest. “It’s not safe,” you said as you stared him down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you weren’t afraid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You furrowed your brow at his response, unusually cold. “You told me it wasn’t safe to return until we knew what happened!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pressed his lips together and turned away, refocusing on his navcomp. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew, you realized. He knew what happened that afternoon you met. For how long, you weren’t sure, but he knew enough to know you could return.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he didn’t tell you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Boba,” you said, pushing yourself to a standing position, “What is going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t answer, but you saw his shoulders tense. Guilt without admission. “What aren’t you telling me,” your voice sounded foreign in your ears, like it was coming from someone else.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were certain no one, certainly no woman, had ever stood up to him like this. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> are fine,” he finally said, still avoiding your eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was no threat to your life, there never was. The attack on Tatooine was meant for him, not you. You could have stayed home, avoided this, continued working. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But that meant you would have never known him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your chest ached with conflict about the man you were growing to love and the realization you knew so little about him. The possibility he was secretly keeping you captive on this ship was too much to comprehend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Slave I lurched into hyperspace, taking your heart with it. You had hours to go, trapped with him in this confined space. The ship never felt so small.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The trip was silent; you had never spent this much time together without speaking. Your mind raced through a thousand different scenarios, your mouth forbidding you from asking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When the familiar sight of your planet came into view, your mouth went dry. You had the blaster, you were a decent marksman and improving every day. You knew Tatooine better than anyone. You could run. Time alone was what you needed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your pulse was pounding as Boba navigated the ship to a soft landing. You didn’t have much time, you were smaller than him but he was always quicker. Your fingers ghosted the blaster on your hip, your feet planted and ready to bolt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As soon as you felt Slave I settle on the sands of Tatooine, you ran, leaping down the ladder and slamming the access panel to the ramp. You heard Boba yell your name, but you didn’t stop. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The suns of Tatooine warmed your skin, stirring feelings of nostalgia and homesickness you didn’t realize you missed. You didn’t have a destination in mind, you just needed distance from him. Your laser focus on an escape was all that mattered to you, so much so you didn’t think someone might be watching.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You stopped against a retaining wall to catch your breath, frantically scanning the dunes behind you to see if Boba followed you. The outline of Slave I was small against the heat waves of the sand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt the hand close around your wrist and another cover your mouth before you had a chance to react. You coughed, frantically trying to free yourself against the restraint, but it was no use. Your captor was larger and stronger than you, quickly binding your hands behind you before blindfolding you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll be able to get the bounty hunter with this,” a gruff voice as you felt his fingers trace your jaw.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His breath was foul, your stomach turning as it filled your nose. “Yes, Jabba will be pleased,” said another.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t even have enough time to protest before the blaster fire stunned you into unconsciousness. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "line without a hook" by ricky montgomery</p><p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. i'm yours to keep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>any dialogue in italics is Huttese :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Boba saw your abduction as he ignited his jetpack, knowing he would never catch up to you on his legs alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Always a few steps ahead, he knew what was likely to happen when you ran, seeing the realization on your face once you recognized the destination of the trip. He knew you were likely to run, his greatest mistake keeping information from you for longer than necessary. He knew where you were, why they had you, and that they wouldn’t dare hurt you. You were the bait and he was the prize. He wasn't worried for your safety, he had no reason to when he was on your trail. The only people to be worried would be those who dared to put you in harm. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He could see Jabba's palace on the horizon and pressed on. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba knew his skills were desired and that few could afford him. There was no target that could evade him and there was no ship that could capture him. To have Boba Fett on your team was ensuring you’d always be three steps ahead of anyone you wished to find. It was easy to keep people at a distance when he knew they never really wanted him for who he was, just for what he was capable of.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He knew the target on Tatooine was him. He didn’t know at the time, when he was throwing you back inside his ship and hurling the two of you into hyperspace, but he figured it out a few weeks later when he ran into a similar situation on a hunt. He evaded them knowing there was a target on his back and told you nothing because he knew you’d go back home, leaving him behind.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba knew what it was like to be left behind. He felt it on Geonosis when he kneeled next to his father’s decapitated body, holding his helmet in his hands. He knew at that moment he would be walking through life alone and made peace with the fact. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know what was causing him to act this way, the tugging in his chest reminding him this was the first time in decades he cared for another person. He had tried to shake it, leaving you behind on long hunts as if he could forget about you, closing himself off, but it didn’t work. There was something in your smile, your gentle touch that broke down his walls and left him stripped bare. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a completely foreign feeling to him, having spent years alone and clad in armor. It was Boba’s default to shut out anyone else, see them as expendable. It was easier that way; the further away you kept people, the less likely they were to hurt you. Boba couldn’t remember the last time he felt remorse for his actions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Until now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You woke up in a daze, your head ringing with pain in a room you didn't recognize. The hot and dry air was almost suffocating and you felt heavy shackles pulling on your wrists and neck. Your eyes were blindfolded and you relied on your other senses to make sense of your surroundings. You could hear voices, speaking a language you didn’t immediately recognize in hushed tones. They weren’t too close to you, and by the wall against your back and side you sensed that you were against the corner of the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It smelled dusty and damp at the same time, a place that didn’t seem to get too much light or air. You tugged at the binders on your wrists, the chains clattering and signaling to the rest of the room that you were awake. “Ahh!” the same voice from the dunes said, “Looks like our little prize is up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You pulled your limbs closer to you in an attempt to shield yourself from whatever awaited you, but nothing came. You felt no bodily presence near, no footsteps closing in. The language you now recognized as Huttese was all you heard before blaster fire ricocheted and the room filled with screams. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had no idea if you were safely covered from where you were chained and continued to hide behind your forearms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Where is she?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your heart stalled in your chest, your stomach leaping up to meet it. Boba.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your relief was soon replaced with anger, knowing the reason you were here was all because of him. Your memory flashed with every tender moment he showed you; how his full lips felt on yours, his protective touch on your back in public reminding you he was there, how his breath felt on your neck as he slept. All of it destroyed in a single lie. You thought you knew him, but there was really so much you didn’t know. And he was most likely your only hope of escape. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Boba! So good to see you!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> A voice you had not yet heard spoke, garbled and deep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I said where is she?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Boba spoke again, his voice low and gruff. You heard his spurs jangle and you knew he was shifting his weight; he was getting impatient.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You moved your arms, hoping the noise from the chains was enough to get his attention. The spurs were enough confirmation that you were right. The blindfold was torn from your eyes and you were staring into the familiar dark visor of Boba Fett. He was here and you didn’t know whether to feel relieved or rage. You wished you could see his face, read his expression, know what was going on in that forever mysterious head of his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What is going on?” you whispered, his grip tight on your forearm as he examined the shackles.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get you out of this,” was his only response before dropping your arm and turning on his heel.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stood between you and the rest of the room, his carbine rifle raised in a silent threat. You blinked as you scanned the room for the first time. It was as dark and dusty as you predicted it to be, appearing to be some sort of throne room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Realization settled in on you; you were in Jabba’s palace. The crime lord himself was seated on his slab of a throne, mere feet away from Boba who stood defiantly in front of him, his grip tight on his rifle.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“The girl comes with me,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Boba said, resting the rifle on his hip. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Boba! You think I would let you come take my newest pet that easily?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jabba’s voice was as disgusting as his appearance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You, like many on Tatooine, knew and feared Jabba and the power he had. You never had reason to cross him before, but now you had the most prized bounty hunter in the galaxy defending you from him. You glanced at the floor beneath Jabba’s slab, knowing the Rancor waited just steps from where Boba stood. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“She comes with me,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Boba repeated, fearless as he stared down the kingpin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sure we can work something out,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Jabba suggested, bits of spittle flying from his grotesque mouth, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“There is a smuggler who owes me more than a fair share of credits.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Release the girl and we can talk.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Not so fast, bounty hunter,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Jabba continued, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m sure we can work something out.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba was restless, his fingers drumming on his rifle, his head cocked. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You want your bounty? Give me the girl.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jabba smiled, as much as a Hutt could. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“No collateral? You know that’s not how I work, Fett.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba relaxed, his grip looser, his knees unlocking. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You know as well as I that my word is collateral in itself.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jabba was stuck and he knew it. The risk of losing his largest asset was too great to not give Boba what he was asking for. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Very well. The girl is yours. But if you do not return Han Solo to me by four rotations, there will be consequences.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The Rancor roared underneath Boba’s feet, but he didn’t flinch. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’ll be back in three.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You could almost hear his smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In an impressive feat of strength, Boba threw you over his shoulder and raced up the stairs, wasting no time to get the two of you out of the palace.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He had already called Slave I to meet you, the ship lowering for boarding as he tossed you on the sand and the two of you raced inside. You were both out of breath, the adrenaline pulsing through your bodies as you slid to the floor, panting. “Good timing,” you said, turning to him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His helmet was off and tossed to the side, his chest heaving as he gulped in air. Sweat matted his hair to his forehead, his dark curls more pronounced under the moisture. He didn’t return your gaze and instead stared ahead, eyes unfocused. “The door isn’t locked,” he said once he regained his breath, “You are free to leave.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You stared at him, attempting to will him to meet your eyes. He was letting you go, letting you leave him and step back home on the sands of Tatooine again. You didn’t think anyone who had ever stepped foot on this ship was given the option laid out in front of you; an opportunity to walk free.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But were you ever captive in the first place? It never really felt like it, even though you knew otherwise. You were bound to him by way of not having anywhere else to go. But with Tatooine being reopened to you, did you still need the bounty hunter?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba’s eyes looked tired as they stared ahead without seeing. His hands rested on his lap, his legs kicked out loosely in front of him. “I never meant to keep you with me,” he said, “I never meant for any of this to happen.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He slowly turned to face you. You never realized how much older than his years he looked before, how the trauma of his life etched away at his face, how the scars that deepened his skin added age to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You lied to me,” you said, newfound confidence swirling in your chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did,” he admitted, his dark eyes full of shame, “I’ve been alone for so long and--”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s not an excuse,” you cut him off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked towards the door and back at him as if weighing the two options for the rest of your life. Tatooine was comfortable, Tatooine was known, Tatooine was home. Boba was...everything Tatooine was not. He was dangerous, unpredictable, ruthless, and still showed you great moments of compassion. The thought of spending the rest of your life without seeing his face panged a part of your chest you didn’t know existed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t expect you to forgive me,” he said, “I’ve rarely forgiven myself for anything I’ve done. But I just need you to know, I didn’t lie to you to keep you with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You had never heard Boba speak so much at one time. It was like a dam had broken, the drought was over, and years of repressed emotion was finally flowing out of him. “Boba,” you said softly, your fingers reaching for the comfort of closing around his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve lost everything I’ve ever cared about. I’m used to it. I don’t need someone else to survive, but when you...when you fixed my father’s tunic, that was more than anyone had done for me in decades.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He paused, taking a moment to compose himself, his voice beginning to crack. “I’m not asking you to stay with me, the life I offer is so much less than a life you deserve. I’m just apologizing for not telling you everything sooner.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It felt like your heart stopped and the only noise in the hull of the ship was your breath. You knew him well enough to know he never apologized, that he took like for what it was and the cards he was dealt, and moved on. You felt your anger start to thaw as you looked at the man before you. “Boba, you have no idea the gifts you have given me these past few months. Before I met you, I knew nothing but the town I grew up in. With you, I get to see the galaxy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His dark eyes were glossy and brimming with emotion. He whispered your name like a prayer before closing the distance between you and meeting your lips with his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba thrust into you like it was the last time, every inch of him splitting you open more than he had before. You felt like you could feel him in your throat as he pounded into you, his teeth bared, his grip tight on the blanket underneath you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be back for you,” he growled, his hips slamming against you, giving you friction you wanted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You dug your nails into his back and pulled him closer to you, the sweat that slicked his skin transferring to you. He fucked you like it was the last time, sinking his teeth into the soft skin where your neck met your shoulder, his thick hands roughly running along the length of your body. He came with a groan, his hips jerking against yours, the feeling of his twitching cock enough to bring you to your release.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If something happens,” he said, laying next to you in the darkness.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop it,” you responded, your voice cracking, “It’s just another job.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He continued as if he didn’t hear you. “If something happens, you will need to access Slave I through the data pad by the door. I’ll keep it in the secured hangar on the outskirts of Mos Eisely.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Fear gripped your throat, hearing him talk so gravely. He never spoke like this when he left on other hunts. “Boba,” you started, rolling over to rest your palm against his stubbled cheek, “It’s just another job.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, his fingers closing over yours as he leaned into your touch, “This one is different.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You propped yourself up on your shoulders, looking into his eyes. You hoped it wasn’t the last time you’d see them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tomorrow morning, when I leave, you need to move to a safe house,” he instructed, “Hide your face, change your name, don’t contact anyone who may know you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re scaring me,” you said, feeling your fingers start to shake at his words.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be back in three rotations, but just in the event I’m not, everything you could possibly need is in Slave I; rations, credits, clothing, it’s all yours.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why are you talking like this?” you asked, unable to hide the terror in your voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is not just another bounty, this is a negotiation with Jabba. If something goes wrong, he knows about you. There is nowhere in the galaxy you can hide from him if he’s looking for you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulled you close, his hands splayed across your back, as if he was worried you would slip through his fingers like dune sand. “You’re worth a lot to me,” he whispered in your hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt as if you could burst at his words, pulling back from him to memorize his face once again. He closed his eyes as you traced the curve of his lips, the bridge of his nose, and divot above his chin. No holo could capture him the way you saw him and you wanted to remember him like this forever.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t need to say it, you already knew: Boba Fett was in love with you.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from "girl" by city and colour</p><p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. what died didn't stay dead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have to take the time and say thank you all so much for reading this piece. This is the first fic I’ve publish and first piece of writing I’ve truly finished and it will forever hold a special place in my heart. Of course there are things I would change already as I look back, but I am very proud of this work and I am amazed that there are people out here who not only read it but looked forward to new chapters. Truly and deeply from the bottom of my heart, thank you so, so much. I look forward to writing more this year and I hope you all continue to enjoy it! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Boba was dead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The news spread quickly across Tatooine. You heard it first in hushed whispers and murmurs before it exploded into outright declarations on the street. Jabba was dead, Boba was dead, the Empire was gone, and all of Tatooine could breathe, except for you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You listened to his words and remained quiet and hidden, staying in the small rented room under an assumed name on the outskirts of town. You kept to yourself, going about your daily business without anyone seeming to notice you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t forget Boba’s instructions on how to operate Slave I should something happen to him, but playing that card would be admitting to yourself he was never going to return. You refused to believe it. Boba was not gone from this universe. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You waited for him, hoping the rumors weren’t true but as the days stretched into weeks and months, your hope dimmed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You looked back on all the moments you took for granted, the comfort of his touch, his reassuring presence pressed against you in the morning, the smell of his skin where his neck met his shoulder. It was impossible that you would never feel him again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You missed your cycle the month after, something you attributed to the stress of your situation.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You found a routine to manage your grief, filling your days with tasks so detailed you almost forgot your trauma. There wasn’t an inch of your home that wasn’t scrubbed clean or tidied every day. But when night came and you were alone, your thoughts crept out from the shadows and took over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grief knocked you out like a gut punch, it stole your time, consumed your thoughts as you tried to sleep. It was so much lonelier in the dark, the sounds of wind winding over the dune sea crashing in your ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The months pressed on and your cycle never came. You felt the prickles of panic prick your spine as the possibility of bringing a child into this world alone crossed your mind. A child who shared Boba’s face and reminded you every moment that at one time he existed and he loved you. In any other circumstance, a child would be everything you wanted with him. A warrior that you would bring up together. Now, the child felt like a curse, a burden. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You found a medic you knew you could trust. The blood test confirmed what your body already knew: you were pregnant with Boba Fett’s child. “Congratulations,” the medic said, her smile unable to reach her eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You were not an anomaly; so many mothers were bringing children into this world alone after the war. You kept to yourself the true identity of your child’s father, it was better believed the medic thought he was some great hero of the New Republic.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You sat on your bed when you got home, your hands on the slight swell of your stomach. It was too soon to feel the child kick but you pressed anyway, your eyes closed as you imagined the child inside of you. You saw Boba’s dark curly hair and eyes looking up at you, small pudgy fingers tugging at your pants while you cooked, begging for attention. Your heart lurched as you pictured your child growing up without Boba to help guide them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You remembered what he said that night when he told you he pictured children and you wished now you pressed him for more. You knew how much his father meant to him, how the time he spent with Jango was the happiest time in his life. There was a part of you that was relieved that your child wouldn’t have to know the pain of being torn apart from their father, instead they would only know a life without them. Was that somehow better?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was late at night when you heard the knock on your door. You felt your heart pound in your chest as you reached for the blaster by your bed, the same one Boba gave you what felt like a lifetime ago. Your interactions with the people in town were limited and while you knew someone nefarious would likely not waste time knocking, you were still on guard. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You didn’t move as quickly as you used to, your ever-expanding belly making you feel bloated and awkward. Your palm felt slippery on the blaster and your hand shook as you approached the door. “I am armed!” You yelled behind the door, your finger ghosting the trigger.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You heard your name, your actual name, from the other side of the door, a voice you thought you’d never hear again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Boba.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You reached for the door, the sound of your pulse in your ears drumming endlessly. You would know the sound of his voice, the lilt of his accent anywhere on this galaxy. You wanted to tear open the door and throw yourself in his arms, kiss his rugged face, run your fingers through his hair. “Boba?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You heard his exhale, that familiar but rare sound of relief. The same sound he’d make after coming back from a particular taxing hunt. The same sound he’d make after falling asleep. A sound of comfort. There was no doubt, it was him. You reached for the door, the hinges creaking as you opened it. “Wait,” his voice said as his hand slammed on the door.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was too late, you already were standing in front of him. He was dressed in a dark cloak which was pulled over his head. A cycler rifle and what appeared to be a long club was slung across his back. His waist seemed thicker than when you last saw him, but you weren't sure if that was just how the cloak fell on his body. He said your name again, his voice like hard granite. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Boba," you whispered, your body frozen as you stared.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He stood the way you remembered, his stance commanding and powerful, still shifting his weight on his hip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You reached up for the hood of his cloak, his large hand grabbing your wrist in an attempt to stop you. "I don't...I look different," he sounded hoarse and tired. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I don't care," you answered as he dropped his grip and you pulled the hood down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally, after months of grieving, anger, and denial, he was standing before you. He wasn't lying, he did look different. His dark curls and thick eyebrows were gone, his skull now bare, burned and scarred. One of his ears was deformed, torn and molded to the side of his head. But his eyes were still dark and hungry, the same eyes you remembered and missed so much. "Boba," you gasped, reaching out to touch his face, "What happened to you?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shut his eyes as your fingers reached his cheek, stroking the scarred skin. His beautiful face was marked forever. You felt hot tears on your cheeks: washing your face with relief, grief, and frustration all at once. His hand closed over yours, pressing your palm to his cheek. You could tell now he was crying too, the wetness sliding down your fingers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I survived," he said, his hands sliding down your arms and reaching your massive belly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His voice was harder, rougher now; as gritty as the sands that whipped against your door during windstorms. He inhaled sharply, his fingers fanning across your stomach as he touched you. "Is that…?" He asked, his eyes meeting yours. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Let's go inside," you offered, leading him back into the safety of your home, bolting the door behind him and setting the blaster on the table. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It felt like a dream, seeing him in front of you, touching his skin, feeling his heat after so many months apart. You stared at him, wishing you could drink him like a glass of spotchka and feel him light you on fire from the inside out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sarlacc,” he finally said, gesturing to his face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Sarlacc?” you asked in disbelief as you got him a glass of water. The fearsome creature who lived in the Great Pit of Carkoon was a frequent threat to anyone who dared to upset Jabba. No one was ever known to survive, “How did you…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, taking the water from your hand and drinking it in one gulp. “It wasn’t easy. She left her mark on me in more than one way. I lost my armor in the process too. The Tuskens took me in--”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The Tuskens?!” you cried out in disbelief. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He nodded, pulling the chair next to him out and asking you to sit next to him. “They saved my life,” he said, his eyes laser focused on your belly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You took his hands in yours, the warmth of his thick fingers everything you wanted in the months you thought him to be dead. You heard his quiet gasp as you placed his hands on your stomach. “Is it...mine?” he asked, his gravelly voice barely above a whisper.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You nodded, feeling your eyes brim with tears as his fingertips gripped your stomach. “An ik'aad,” he breathed, pulling you into his lap.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His movements were clumsier now, the bruising and scarring slowing him down and your massive stomach preventing your bodies from being as close as they would like. “It’s different now,” you said with a laugh as you balanced on his knees, his arm holding you against him as he looked down on you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His time in Sarlacc changed him, not only physically but emotionally too. The walls he kept up, the same ones that sometimes even kept you away at times were now washed away. His eyes were softer now and the way they looked at you reminded you how much he meant to you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finally his mouth was on yours, hot and needy, his fingers gripping the back of your neck as he kissed you. His mouth moved like he was starved for it, his fingers flexing against your skin. “I thought of you every moment I was in there,” he panted, his forehead pressed against yours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt the grooves of the scars that marked his face, the evidence of acid burns patching the skin between them. “Knowing you were waiting for me helped me get it out,” he continued, “If I didn’t have you, I’d be…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t finish his thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s a little bit more than just me now,” you offered, rubbing your belly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A bit,” his lips curled in a smile before he kissed you again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Sarlacc did not take away his strength and you felt him shift his body weight under you before he lifted you off his lap. Your home was small and Boba moved knowing where the bedroom had to be. You ached for him, the fire in your belly growing as he placed you on your bed and slowly removed your clothes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You tugged at his robe, his broad chest revealed to you for the first time in months. The scars on his face traced down his neck and chest, his tan skin a patchwork quilt of half-healed bumps and ridges. You were bare and exposed to each other, more than ever before, both of your bodies changed forever. “You look...beautiful,” Boba gasped, leaning over you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You felt your face burn hot. You hadn’t felt beautiful when morning sickness had you hunched over the fresher toilet every morning. You hadn’t felt beautiful when your clothes pulled too tight and you had to resort to wearing massive draperies of fabric. But now, under the gaze of Boba Fett, you felt it and you knew what he was saying to be true.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hand found your center already wet in anticipation and he groaned at the discovery. “I missed you,” he said, slipping a finger inside you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You whimpered at the stretch. It had been ages since you were able to reach yourself much less have the energy to masturbate. Having Boba back from the dead was almost too much. His eyes were wide, his finger already withdrawn from you. “I’m fine,” you reassured him, “Just...go slow.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Boba put you on your side and entered you, you felt like you were going to burst. His hips moved slowly against yours, his cock stretching your walls the same way you remembered. You felt the familiar band of pleasure in your belly tighten as he moved faster. “Is this okay?” he asked.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was almost like he was fucking you for the first time, the way you were relearning each others bodies, the way your noses bumped when you kissed, or your teeth clacked when you turned to pull him closer to you. “Yes, Boba,” you breathed, “I’m so close.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With his hand tight on your hip, he pulled you closer to his chest as you came together, his voice crying out your name as he reached his release. Boba pressed a kiss to your shoulder as he stayed inside you, pulling a blanket over both of you. “And you’re sure that didn’t hurt the little one?” he asked, his voice full of concern.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You laughed as he reached for your stomach. “It’s fine,” you reassured him, your hand on his cheek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked, his thumb tracing small circles on your bare belly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You shook your head. “I wanted it to be a surprise. I figured knowing would make me miss you even more.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mesh’la,” his voice was soft in the darkness, “I’m so sorry.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You have nothing to apologize for, Boba. You are here now. You are home.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Home. It was something Boba never really had before. Kamino was long gone to him, Slave I was the only thing he had close to a home and it was still only a ship. He pulled you close again, as if he was worried the Sarlacc would swallow him all over again. Home was here. Home was you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Come morning you realized Boba was not fully healed, that he needed more bacta and rest. It was a struggle for power, with him insisting you stay and bed as you prepared for the baby and you insisting he be the one to not overexert himself. “Someone needs to make sure we have enough to eat, princess,” he said lovingly as he chucked you on the chin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the weeks went by, you saw the glimmers of the old Boba come back to you as his strength and energy returned. He went into town to get supplies and food, his scars a new kind of mask. When he returned one morning with a pair of tiny baby shoes, you knew that the old Boba may never fully return, but the man who stood before you was a man changed for the better. He was still a warrior, a protector. You knew your child would not want for anything.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And the moment you finally placed your daughter in his arms, you knew you were right. She looked so small against his massive frame, but her furrowed brow and angry cry proved she was entirely her father’s daughter. “A warrior,” he said, as she wrapped her tiny hand around his thick finger, “We made a true warrior, mesh’la.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>chapter title comes from 'marjorie' by taylor swift</p><p>spotify playlist for this fic can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1RxvN8oZSU7Hb8XsQL1a1x</p><p>escapedthesarlacc.tumblr.com</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the title and chapters will come from song lyrics; ultimate plan is to compile a playlist for this when it's over.</p><p>Both the fic title and chapter one come from "Ashes" by Stellar.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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